Optimization of electrical transport and magnetoresistance of La0.72Ca0.28-xPbxMnO3 ceramics by Pb2+ doping

Abstract

Here, La0.72Ca0.28-xPbxMnO3 (LCPMO, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06) polycrystalline ceramics are prepared by the sol-gel method and the influence of Pb2+ doping on microstructure, chemical composition, and electrical transport properties of LCPMO ceramics is systematically investigated. The study was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and four-probe method. The four-probe test shows that all samples have MIT (metal-insulator transition) behavior, and the peak resistance gradually decreases with the increase of Pb2+ doping amount. With the increase of Pb2+ doping amount, the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and magnetoresistance (MR) first increased and then decreased, the TCR increased from 24.6 % to 36.5 %·K−1, and the MR value increased from 47 % to 71.5 %, and both corresponded to high temperature direction. Referring to previous studies, higher TCR and MR values near room temperature are what researchers have been pursuing for a long time. it can be seen that the LCPMO ceramics prepared in this article can have good application prospects in infrared detection and magnetic storage.