Non-linear current–voltage characteristics of (La 0.5Eu 0.5) 0.7Pb 0.3MnO 3 single crystals: Possible manifestation of the internal heating of chargecarriers

Abstract

Temperature evolution of the current–voltage characteristics (CVCs) of a single-crystal lanthanum manganite (La 0.5Eu 0.5) 0.7Pb 0.3MnO 3 is investigated in a wide (up to 1 А) range of instrumental currents. Effects of a transport current and an applied electric field on the resistance of the material are studied in view of possible implementation of the charge ordering break in dielectric regions occurring due to phase separation in manganites. A negative differential resistance portion observed in the CVCs suggests the presence of a current switching effect. Below the temperature of the metal–dielectric transition in (La 0.5Eu 0.5) 0.7Pb 0.3MnO 3, the hysteresis is observed in the CVC. The detailed analysis of the internal sample heating on the basis of experimental data on thermal conductivity showed, however, that these CVC features can be explained within the concept of non-equilibrium heating of electron gas.