Two-phase behavior in strained thin films of hole-doped manganites

TL;DR

This paper investigates how biaxial strain affects the electrical and magnetic behavior of thin manganite films, revealing phase coexistence and strain-induced transitions with potential applications in magnetic devices.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of non-uniform biaxial strain on phase coexistence and magnetoresistance in manganite thin films, highlighting the role of strain distribution.

Findings

Biaxial compressive strain causes island growth morphology.

Coexistence of metallic ferromagnetic and insulating antiferromagnetic phases.

Large magnetoresistance and field-induced insulator-metal transition observed.

Abstract

We present a study of the effect of biaxial strain on the electrical and magnetic properties of thin films of manganites. We observe that manganite films grown under biaxial compressive strain exhibit island growth morphology which leads to a non-uniform distribution of the strain. Transport and magnetic properties of these films suggest the coexistence of two different phases, a metallic ferromagnet and an insulating antiferromagnet. We suggest that the high strain regions are insulating while the low strain regions are metallic. In such non-uniformly strained samples, we observe a large magnetoresistance and a field-induced insulator to metal transition.