An investigation of low temperature electronic phase arrest in Sm0.55Sr0.45MnO3 phase separated manganite

The temperature dependence of electronic-transport and magneto-transport of polycrystalline Sm0.55Sr0.45MnO3 manganite at low temperatures has been investigated in detail. The low temperature resistivity data show a distinct minimum in the resistivity versus temperature plots for all fields. The low temperature resistivity upturn below this minimum has been fitted to an expression, which includes three terms, namely, residual resistivity, inelastic scattering, and electron-electron (e-e) interaction or Kondo effects. It has been found that the dominating mechanism is e-e interaction. The resistivity of the sample shows strong dependence on the magnetic field–temperature history. The electronic-transport property clearly confirms that the electronic phase of the sample gets arrested to a low resistive state during field cooling and cannot return to its original state even after the magnetic field is removed. The magnetoresistance of the sample also shows a strong irreversibility with respect to the sweeping of the magnetic field between its highest positive and negative values. Moreover, the resistivity of the sample is found to be time dependent. All the observed phenomena have been explained through the phase separation scenario and kinetic arrest of electronic phase