Abstract
Superconducting Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 (Tczero = 24 K) and Nd2CuO4 (Tczero = 25 K) thin films have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy and their magneto-transport and structural properties have been investigated. The as-grown films are insulators irrespective of the substitution level, and superconductivity is induced after the samples are treated by an annealing process under reducing atmospheres. Though the metallic conductivity is higher in the Ce4+ substituted sample, the superconducting properties are quite similar between Ce4+ substituted and substitution-free samples. A similar upper critical magnetic field as well as a similar superconducting transition temperature of Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 and Nd2CuO4 shows that the addition of electrons merely influences the superconducting state. Consequently, the appearance of an antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state solely depends on the annealing process, not on the electron doping or cerium substitution level.
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