Structural and functional properties of La1-xBaxMnO3 thin films on SrTiO3

Full text: Colossal magneto resistive manganites such as La1-xBaxMnO3 (LBMO) show a reach diversity of a attractive physical properties and the epitaxy of manganites has figured conspicuously in the search for new generations of electronic materials for information processing, data storage, and sensing. All applications require manganite films with a smooth morphology and perfect functional properties such as a large magnetization and a small residual resistivity. We investigated the structural and functional properties of the epitaxial LBMO thin films grown on the near perfect matched SrTiO3 substrates by metalorganic aerosol deposition technique. AFM surface analysis shows a very smooth films surface indicating the layer-by-layer growth mode. The occurrence of a distinct Laue thickness fringes in X-ray diffraction spectra indicates a high quality single-crystalline growth of an uniformly strained LBMO films. But the small-angle x-ray scattering reveals the presence of a few unit cells intermediate layer with a modified electronic density. Transport measurements determine a high metal-insulator transition temperature (TMI>340 K) confirming near optimal Ba doping of LBMO with the residual resistivity of 350 μΩcm at 50 K. According to the inductive coupled plasma emission spectroscopy analysis the LBMO has level of Ba doping x=0.32. However, SQUID magnetization measurements reveal the coexistence of a high Curie temperature (TC=335 K) and a low coercitive field (27-30 Oe) with a reduced saturation magnetization (∼3 μB/Mn) and broadened para-ferromagnetic transition. The presence of magnetic phase inhomogeneity can be further revealed from the form of low-temperature magnetization loops. We discuss the results within the concept of a 'hidden' magnetic layer situated close to the film-substrate interface and the presence of magnetic phase separation phenomenon in the main part of the LBMO film. (authors)