Epitaxial LSMO films grown on MgO single crystalline substrates

• Published in: Applied surface science 2007-07, Vol.253 (18), p.7599-7603
• Main Authors: Španková, M., Chromik, Š., Vávra, I., Sedláčková, K., Lobotka, P., Lucas, S., Stanček, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electrical properties; Exact sciences and technology; LSMO films; Magnetron sputtering; Physics; Rutherford backscattering; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffracion
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2007.03.058

The manganite La 0.67Sr 0.33MnO 3 (LSMO) layers are deposited on single crystal MgO(0 0 1) substrates using a magnetron dc sputtering. The crystalline perfection of the layers, both the as-prepared and the annealed, are characterized by X-ray diffraction technique, rocking curve measurements, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM analyses give evidence of the epitaxial growth of the annealed LSMO with a nanocrystalline surface layer. The temperature dependence of resistance in the 77–340 K range is measured by a standard four-probe technique. While the as-prepared film does not show any transition from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic state, the film annealed in oxygen shows steep R( T) dependence with a peak at 330 K and maximal slope (d R/d T) at 290 K where the maximal sensitivity is 3% K −1.