Low temperature processing of epitaxial La1-xCaxMnO3 thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Magnetoresistive perovskite-like La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCMO) thin films have been successfully grown on (100)LaAlO3 (LAO) at a relatively low substrate temperature of 600 degrees C-750 degrees C by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. Epitaxial LCMO films are obtained at deposition temperature of 650 degrees C or above without post-annealing. The as-deposited films grown at higher substrate temperatures showed lower resistance and higher semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature. For films post-annealed for 1 h at their respective deposition temperatures, a large reduction in their electrical resistivity and an up-shifting of their transition temperature were observed. The maximum magnetoresistance ratio (MR), -Delta R(1 T)/R(0), for the films deposited and annealed at 650 degrees C and 750 degrees C were 37% and 50%,respectively. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.