Microstructure, magnetic, and low-field magnetotransport properties of self-assembled(La0.7Sr0.3MnO3)0.5:(CeO2)0.5 vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films

Abstract

Two-phase (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3)0.5:(CeO2)0.5 (LSMO:CeO2) heteroepitaxial nanocomposite films were grown onSrTiO3 (STO) (001) by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show thatLSMO:CeO2 films epitaxially grow on STO as self-assembled vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN). Magneticand magnetotransport measurements demonstrate that the LSMO phase in the VAN structurebehaves differently from its epitaxial single-phase counterpart, e.g. greatly enhanced coercivity (HC) and low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR). The enhanced properties in the VAN systemare attributed to the interaction between the perovskite and the secondary phase or phaseboundary. The results suggest that the growth of functional oxide in anotheroxide matrix with vertical heteroepitaxial form is a promising approach to achievenew functionality that may not be easily realized in the single epitaxial phase.