Low-Temperature Glassy Response of Ultrathin Manganite Films to Electric and Magnetic Fields

TL;DR

This study investigates the low-temperature glassy behavior of ultrathin manganite films under electric and magnetic fields, revealing hierarchical, non-ergodic dynamics driven by strain relaxation and charge-spin-strain coupling.

Contribution

It demonstrates how electrostatic gating can tune coercivity in ultrathin manganite films through strain-mediated charge and spin interactions, highlighting novel control mechanisms.

Findings

Hierarchical, irreversible resistance response observed

Aging and annealing effects indicate strain-driven dynamics

Electrostatic gating effectively tunes coercivity

Abstract

The glassy response of thin films of La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 to external magnetic and gated electrostatic fields in a field-effect geometry has been studied at low temperatures. A hierarchical response with irreversible memory effects, non-ergodic time evolution, aging and annealing behavior of the resistance suggest that the dynamics are governed by strain relaxation for both electronic and magnetic perturbations. Cross-coupling of charge, spin, and strain have been exploited to tune the coercivity of an ultrathin manganite film by electrostatic gating.