Transport properties of 90 MeV O ion irradiated LPMO single crystals

The surface morphology, transport and magnetotransport properties of 90 MeV swift oxygen ion irradiated La0.9Pb0.1MnO3 single crystals were reported. It was found that, at low ion-fluence the metal-insulator transition temperature (TMI) increased by 3K and the Curie temperature (Tc) increases 4K, and the resistivity decreases as the irradiation increases up to 1 x 1012. However, we have observed that the TMI reduces with increases of resistivity for the fluence of 1 x 1013. These results are very well correlated to the change occurs in the surface morphology of swift heavy-ion irradiated crystals. It suggested that the origin of such properties lies in the irradiation induced strain, creation of point defects and grain boundaries in the crystals. (author)