High resolution determination of ferromagnetic metallic limit in epitaxial La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO(3) films on NdGaO(3)

D. SANCHEZ; L. E. HUESO; L. GRANJA; P. LEVY; N. D. MATHUR

APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS

Año: 2006 vol. 89 p. 142509 - 142511

0003-6951

The physical properties of manganites depend strongly on sample morphology, probably due to strain. The authors investigate the influence of NdGaO(3) substrates on the limit of the ferromagnetic-metallic phase field in La(1−x)Ca(x)MnO(3), doping with x=1% resolution. Films with x=0.40 show a metal-insulator transition, but the ferromagnetic volume fraction is half the spin aligned value. Films with x=0.41 are similar but the metal-insulator transition is not always seen. Films with 0.42
x
0.45 are insulating, and the magnetization is dramatically reduced. The observed phase boundary indicates where to search for enhanced phase separation effects that may be exploited in thin films and devices.