Strain and Curent Induced Multiphase Coexistence in (La$_{0.5}$Pr$_{0.5}$)$_{0.67}$Ca$_{0.33}$MnO$_{3}$ Probed by Magnetic Force Microscopy

ORAL

Abstract

The ferromagnetic (FM) domain structure of a thin film (La$_{0.5}$Pr$_{0.5})_{0.67}$Ca$_{0.33}$MnO$_{3}$ sample grown on a (110) NdGaO$_{3}$ (NGO) substrate was investigated using low-temperature magnetic force microscopy with temperature control, an external magnetic field and an electric field across the sample. We observed that the FM domains form stable patterns with in-plane magnetization at 78K. At higher temperatures the system enters a fluid phase separated (FPS) state. The FM domains change as the voltage across the sample increases. We believe that competition between a charge-ordered insulating (COI) phase and a ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) phase exists in this FPS state and the COI phase may be driven to an FMM phase by an electric field.

*The work at UT Austin is supported by the NSF (DMR-0308575).

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Authors

  • Frank Ruzicka

    • Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712

  • Changbae Hyun

    • Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
    • U Texas at Austin

  • Junwei Huang

    • Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
    • U Texas at Austin

  • Alfred Lee

    • University of Texas at Austin
    • Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712

  • Alex de Lozanne

    • University of Texas at Austin
    • Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712

  • Tara Dhakal

    • Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611

  • Jacob Tosado

    • Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611

  • Amlan Biswas

    • Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
    • Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8440