Delicate competing electronic states in ultrathin manganite films

TL;DR

This study investigates how subtle strain-induced changes in ultrathin manganite films influence their electronic states, revealing that small structural variations can significantly alter their electrical properties.

Contribution

It demonstrates that minor strain adjustments can control the delicate balance between competing electronic states in correlated electron materials.

Findings

Resistivity cusp at structural transition temperature Ts

Strain tuning affects electronic phase boundary

Small strain can switch between metallic and insulating states

Abstract

The coupling between the electrical transport properties of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 (LSMO) thin films and structural phase transitions of SrTiO3 (STO) substrates at Ts = 105 K has been investigated. We found that the electrical resistivity of LSMO films exhibit a cusp at Ts, which is greatly amplified by tuning films to the verge of metallic and insulating phases, i.e., to the boundary of two delicate competing electronic states. Our results demonstrate that small amounts of strain can tip the subtle balance of competing interactions and tune the electronic properties in correlated electron materials.