Influence of swift heavy ion irradiation on charge transport and conduction mechanisms across the interface of LaMnO3 and La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 manganites

Abstract

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiated LaMnO3/La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LMO/LCMO) interfaces have been investigated to understand their charge transport and conduction mechanisms. Prominent effect of ion fluence has been discussed for the interface resistivity behaviors and metal to insulator phase transition for LMO/LCMO interfaces on the bases of lattice strain, crystalline granular state, crystalline imperfection, average grain size, grain boundary density and rms surface roughness. Field effect configuration (FEC) has been employed to study the interesting modifications in the irradiated LMO/LCMO interface resistivity under different applied electric fields to understand the depletion region, free charge carrier density, ferromagnetic phase fractions and crystal field based distortions. A Phenomenological percolation model has been employed to understand the role of phase separation in governing the charge conduction processes across LMO/LCMO interfaces.