Low-temperature resistivity anomaly in underdoped Pr0.8Sr0.2MnO3 manganite nanoparticles

High resolution electrical resistivity measurements were carried out of under-doped Pr0.8Sr0.2MnO3 manganite nanoparticles with grain size modulation down to 40 nm in magnetic fields H, from 0 to 9 T in the low temperature regime down to a temperature of 4.2 K. In the temperature range below 80 K, a distinct resistivity minima is observed for all the samples with different particle sizes for all H. While trying to fit low temperature resistivity data with different models for the observed resistivity minima with negative temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) for all H, it appears that all the data for different particle sizes, can be best described by electron-electron (e-e) interaction effect in comparison with other models, e.g., Kondo model, coulomb blockades etc. The low temperature data for all H have been fitted with an expression containing three terms, namely, residual resistivity, inelastic scattering, e-e interaction and Kondo effects. We conclude that the e-e interaction is the dominant transport mechanism at low temperatures for the observed negative TCR in this strongly disordered nanometric Pr0.8Sr0.2MnO3 phase separated manganite system. (author)