Variety of LaSrMnO structures induced by growth conditions and laser irradiation

Crystallographic phase transitions in perovskite-like LaSrMnO metallic oxides are studied. The transitions are induced when internal stresses generated during film synthesis (at temperatures between 450 and 730°C) vary (decrease or increase) upon subsequent irradiation by a KrF laser emitting in the UV range. As the synthesis temperature T _s grows, the rhombohedral-to-orthorhombic phase transition occurs at 650–670°C. The resistivity is shown to be either temperature-independent, ρ(T)=const, at T<T _crit, or varies and reaches a maximum, ρ(T)=ρ_max, at the Curie temperature T _c. Optical transmission spectra taken at photon energies ℏω=0.5–2.5 eV exhibit both a high (0.8–0.9) and low (0.1–0.3) transmission coefficient t, depending on the synthesis temperature. As follows from X-ray diffraction data, the laser irradiation causes a phase transition only in LaSrMnO films grown at T _s<650°C. Phases of different size scales appear: the long-range-order orthorhombic matrix and mesoscopic-range-order rhombohedral clusters are observed in the films grown at T _s=450–550°C and the rhombohedral matrix with orthorhombic clusters, in the films grown at T _s=550–650°C.     

Electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance of nonuniformly mechanically strained films (30 nm) of the La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 manganite

The structure, electrical resistivity, and magnetoresistance of predominantly oriented La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃(30 nm)/LaAlO₃ films are investigated after partial relaxation of biaxial mechanical stresses. The negative magnetoresistance MR of the films reaches a maximum at T = 235–240 K. The full width at half-maximum of the peak in the curve MR(T) for a film is five to six times greater than that for a manganite layer grown on a substrate with a small lattice mismatch. For T < 150 K, the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity ρ of the films is fitted well by the relationship ρ = ρ₀ + ρ₁ (H)T ^4.5, where ρ₀ ≡ ρ(T = 4.2 K) and ρ₁(H) is a parameter that is independent of temperature but dependent on the magnetic field H. The parameter ρ₁(H = 0) for the La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃(30 nm)/LaAlO₃ films is several times larger than that for thin manganite layers only weakly strained by the substrate. The electrical resistivity ρ₁ decreases almost linear as the quantity μ₀ H increases in the field range 1–5 T.     

Magnetoresistance of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> epitaxial films grown on a substrate with low lattice mismatch

The structure, electrical resistivity, and magnetoresistance of La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ heteroepitaxial films (120-nm thick) practically unstrained by lattice mismatch with the substrate were studied. A strong maximum of negative magnetoresistance of ≈27% (for μ₀H = 4 T) was observed at T ≈360 K. While the magnetoresistance decreased monotonically in magnitude with decreasing temperature, it was still in excess of 2% at 150 K. For T < 250 K, the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity ρ of La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ films is fitted well by the relation ρ = ρ₀ + ρ ₁(H)T^2.3, where ρ₀ = 1.1×10^?4 Ω cm, ρ₁(H = 0) = 1.8×10^?9 Ω cm/K^2.3, and ρ₁(μ₀H = 4 T)/ρ₁(H = 0) ≈0.96. The temperature dependence of a parameter γ characterizing the extent to which the electrical resistivity of the ferromagnetic phase of La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ films is suppressed by a magnetic field (μ ₀H = 5 T) was determined.     

The role of specific features of the electronic structure in electrical resistivity of band ferromagnets Co<Subscript>2</Subscript>Fe<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> = Al,Si, Ga,Ge, In,Sn, Sb)

The electrical resistivity ρ(T) of the band ferromagnets Co₂FeZ (where Z = Al, Si, Ga, Ge, In, Sn, and Sb are s- and p-elements of Mendeleev’s Periodic Table) has been investigated in the temperature range 4.2 K < T < 1100 K. It has been shown that the dependences ρ(T) of these alloys in a magnetically ordered state at temperatures T < T _C are predominantly determined by the specific features of the electronic spectrum in the vicinity of the Fermi level. The processes of charge carrier scattering affect the behavior of the electrical resistivity ρ(T) only in the vicinity of the Curie temperature T _C and above, as well as in the low-temperature range (at T ? T _C).     

Electrical resistivity and magnetotransport in La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> films asymmetrically biaxially compressed by an NdGaO<Subscript>3</Subscript>(001) substrate

The La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃(40 nm) films are quasi-coherently grown on an NdGaO₃(001) substrate with an orthorhombic unit cell distortion of ～1.4%. The biaxial compressive stresses generated during nucleation and growth lead to a decrease in the unit cell volume of the grown layers. This, in turn, results in a decrease (by ～35 K) in the temperature of the maximum in the dependence of the electrical resistivity ρ of the layers on the temperature. For T < 150 K, the electrical resistivity ρ of the films increases in proportion to ρ₂ T ^4.5 and the coefficient ρ₂ decreases almost linearly with increasing magnetic field H. The negative magnetoresistance (≈?0.17 for μ₀ H = 1 T) reaches a maximum at temperatures close to room temperature. The response of the electrical resistivity ρ of the La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃(40 nm) films to the magnetic field depends on the crystallographic direction of the film orientation and the angle between H and I (where I is the electric current through the film).     

Structure and magneto-transport parameters of partially relaxed and coherently grown La0.67Ba0.33MnO3 films

X-ray diffraction (XRD) and medium-energy ion scattering (MEIS) have been used to reveal distortions in the crystal lattice of La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ (LBMO) films formed in relaxation of mechanical stresses. The LBMO films 25 nm thick have been prepared by laser deposition. The XRD and MEIS data obtained suggest that biaxially and mechanically elastically stressed LBMO layers grow coherently on LSATO substrates, whose crystal lattice parameter differs only weakly from the corresponding LBMO parameter, whereas in the bulk of manganite films grown on LaAlO₃ substrates, stresses relax partially. Stresses do not relax in the LBMO interface about 4 nm thick adjoining LaAlO₃. The electro- and magneto-transport parameters of partially relaxed LBMO films have been compared with those obtained for coherently grown manganite films with approximately the same tetragonal distortion of the lattice cell (a _⊥/a _‖ = 1.024–1.030; a _‖ and a _⊥ are the unit cell parameters in the substrate plane and normal to it, respectively). At temperatures substantially lower than the Curie temperature, the electrical resistivity ρ of LBMO films fits the relation ρ = ρ₀ + ρ₁ T ² + ρ₂(H)T ^4.5; the coefficients ρ₀ and ρ₁ do not depend on temperature T and magnetic field, and ρ₂ does not depend on temperature but almost linearly decreases with increasing magnetic field strength H. The coefficient ρ₂ for partially relaxed LBMO films is substantially larger than that for coherently grown manganite layers.     

Response of the electrical resistivity of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>(20 nm)/LaAlO<Subscript>3</Subscript>(001) films to magnetic field and variation in temperature

The structure, electrical resistivity, and magnetotransport parameters of 20-nm-thick epitaxial La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ films grown by laser ablation on LaAlO₃(001) substrates are studied. The unit cell volume V _eff = 58.80 ų of the as-grown manganite films is found to be less than that for bulk La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ crystals. Maximum values of the negative magnetoresistance MR(μ₀ H = 1 T) = ?0.27 for La_0.67Ba_0.33MnO₃ films are observed at a temperature of about 225 K. For 5 < T < 100 K, the film magnetoresistance depends only weakly on temperature and is on the order of ?0.1. At temperatures below 100 K and for 3 < μ₀ H < 5 T, the electrical resistivity of the as-grown films decreases linearly with increasing magnetic field.     

Specific features of electrical properties of porous biocarbons prepared from beech wood and wood artificial fiberboards

This paper reports on comparative investigations of the structural and electrical properties of biomorphic carbons prepared from natural beech wood, as well as medium-density and high-density fiberboards, by means of carbonization at different temperatures T _carb in the range 650–1000°C. It has been demonstrated using X-ray diffraction analysis that biocarbons prepared from medium-density and high-density fiberboards at all temperatures T _carb contain a nanocrystalline graphite component, namely, three-dimensional crystallites 11–14 Å in size. An increase in the carbonization temperature T _carb to 1000°C leads to the appearance of a noticeable fraction of two-dimensional graphene particles with the same sizes. The temperature dependences of the electrical resistivity ρ of the biomorphic carbons have been measured and analyzed in the temperature range 1.8–300 K. For all types of carbons under investigation, an increase in the carbonization temperature T _carb from 600 to 900°C leads to a change in the electrical resistivity at T = 300 K by five or six orders of magnitude. The dependences ρ(T) for these materials are adequately described by the Mott law for the variable-range hopping conduction. It has been revealed that the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity exhibits a hysteresis, which has been attributed to thermomechanical stresses in an inhomogeneous structure of the biocarbon prepared at a low carbonization temperature T _carb. The crossover to the conductivity characteristic of disordered metal systems is observed at T _carb ? 1000°C.     

Effect of substrate temperature on structure and electrical resistivity of laser-ablated IrO2 thin films

IrO₂ thin films were prepared on Si(1 0 0) substrates by laser ablation. The effect of substrate temperature (T_sub) on the structure (crystal orientation and surface morphology) and property (electrical resistivity) of the laser-ablated IrO₂ thin films was investigated. Well crystallized and single-phase IrO₂ thin films were obtained at T_sub = 573-773 K in an oxygen partial pressure of 20 Pa. The preferred orientation of the laser-ablated IrO₂ thin films changed from (2 0 0) to (1 1 0) and (1 0 1) depending on T_sub. With the increasing of T_sub, both the surface roughness and crystallite size increased. The room-temperature electrical resistivity of IrO₂ thin films decreased with increasing T_sub, showing a low value of (42 ± 6) × 10⁻⁸ Ω m at T_sub = 773 K.     

New insights in the T dependence of the electrical resistivity in size-effect dominated pure metal foils from measurements on high-purity Au at low T

Analysis of Soffer's size-effect theory for electrical resistivity shows, for measurements in such a T range for which the temperature dependent portion of the resistivity, ρ_i, is always much smaller than the residual bulk resistivity ρ_∞(0) of the metal studied, that while size-effects leave the essential T dependence of ρ_i unchanged, it may increase its absolute value and the observed residual resistivity ρ(0), thus explaining recent results of Caplin et al. This also corrects the general conclusion arrived at by the latter authors, i.e. that the T dependence of ρ of a metal foil of given residual resistivity is the same as that of a bulk sample of the same residual resistivity provided that the latter is governed by impurity scattering, as being true for a narrow T range only, i.e. for which ρ_i(T) ? ρ_∞(0). However, for this T range a procedure is outlined which allows one to extract values of the surface specularity parameter p_S and also ρ_∞ of the metal foils studied.     

Magnetotransport parameters of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 films grown on neodymium gallate substrates

Weakly mechanically stressed 40-nm-thick La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ films have been grown coherently on a (001)NdGaO₃ substrate by laser evaporation. The electrical resistivity ρ of the La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ film reaches a maximum at a temperature T _C ≈ 255 K. At temperatures below 0.6T _C, the temperature dependences of ρ are well approximated by the relation ρ = ρ_def + C ₁ T ² + C ₂ T ^4.5, in which the first term on the right-hand side accounts for the contribution of structural defects to electrical resistivity, and the second and third terms stand for those of the electron-electron and electron-magnon interactions, respectively. The parameters ρ_def ≈ 1 x 10^?4 Ω cm and C ₁ ≈ 7.7 × 10^?9 Ω cm K^?2 do not depend on temperature and magnetic field H. The coefficient C ₂ decreases with increasing H to reach about 4.9 × 10^?15 Ω cm K^?4.5 at μ₀ H = 14 T.     

Response of the electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> films to biaxial tensile strains

The structure, electrical resistivity, and magnetoresistance of (50-nm)La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ epitaxial films grown on a [(80 nm)Ba_0.25Sr_0.75TiO₃/La_0.3Sr_0.7Al_0.65Ta_0.35O₃] substrate with a substantial positive lattice misfit have been studied. The tensile biaxial strains are shown to account for the increase in the cell volume and in the relative concentration of Mn⁺³ ions in the manganite films as compared to those for the original material (33%). The peak in the temperature dependence of the resistivity ρ of La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ films was shifted by 30–35 K toward lower temperatures relative to its position in the ρ(T) graph for a manganite film grown on (001)La_0.3Sr_0.7Al_0.65Ta_0.35O₃. For T < 150 K, the temperature dependences of ρ of La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃/Ba_0.25Sr_0.75TiO₃/La_0.3Sr_0.7Al_0.65Ta_0.35O₃ films could be well fitted by the relation ρ = ρ₀ + ρ₁T^4.5, where ρ₀ = 0.35 mΩ cm and the coefficient ρ₁ decreases linearly with increasing magnetic field. In the temperature interval 4.2–300 K, the magnetoresistance of manganite films was within the interval 15–95% (μ₀H = 5 T).     

Transition from the Kondo regime to long-range magnetic order in the FexV1−x S system

A study is reported on the electrical and magnetic characteristics of the Fe_xV_1?x S solid-solution system with x≤0.5. A maximum in the temperature dependence of resistivity ρ(T) characteristic of the Kondo effect has been observed for small x(x<0.01). For x>0.1, long-range magnetic order sets in in the system with T _K ≈ 100 K. Near x=0.05, the Fe²⁺ impurity behavior crosses over to a magnetically ordered phase. The electronic properties of Fe_xV_1?x S are typical of those of strongly correlated electronic systems. Both the electrical and magnetic data imply that carrier delocalization is the strongest at x=0.4.     

Electrical conduction in sputtered Si:Al films

The d.c. electrical resistivity ?(x, T) has been measured for a series of granular Si_xAl_1?x sputtered films for 0.25 < x < 0.62 and 4K < T < 300 K. Three separate behaviours are identified in ?(x, T) corresponding to extrinsic activated semiconduction, metallic conduction and electron localisation.     

Changes in the electronic,optical, and magnetic properties of LaSrMnO films upon transition from the rhombohedral phase to the orthorhombic phase

The properties of LaSrMnO films are investigated in the temperature range of the transition from the rhombohedral phase to the orthorhombic phase (600–650° C). It is shown that, with a variation in the growth temperature T_s, the change in the film properties is governed by the interaction of Mn-O metallic (ferromagnetic) clusters in the dielectric (antiferromagnetic) matrix. At T_s≤600°C, the low density of e _g states and the dielectric gap (E _g =0.3–0.5 eV) are responsible for the following features: (i) the optical transparency in the range ?ω=0.5–2 eV, (ii) the difference between the FC and ZFC magnetizations M(T), (iii) the high resistance, and (iv) the appearance of the portions R(T) ≈ const in the dependence R(T) due to the transformation of clusters into a system of tunnel-coupled quantum dots. At T_s≥650°C, the local increase in the atomic and electronic densities leads to a decrease in the optical transmission and the resistance by three to nine orders of magnitude, the appearance of a maximum and a minimum in the dependences R(T) of the LaSrMnO films, and an increase in the magnetization M(10 K) by one order of magnitude. The inference is drawn that magnetic ordering of the system of tunnel-coupled clusters encourages an increase in the cluster size and in the content of the metallic (ferromagnetic) phase.     

非晶态FeZrB合金的电阻率与温度的关系

本文研究了非晶态(Fe_1-xZr_x)_84.5B_15.5(x=0,0.02,0.04,0.06,0.08,0.1,0.15)和Fe_90-xB_xZr₁₀(x=0,4,10,16,20)合金的电阻率ρ与温度T的关系。实验结果表明,当Zr含量在0.02≤x≤0.08时,ρ-T曲线出现两个线性斜率,在略高于居里温度T_c处出现转折,在T关键词：     

Bl结构MoNx薄膜的制备及物理性能研究

我们对以反应性溅射法制备的MoN_x薄膜测量了超导转变温度T_c,电阻率ρ(T)(从T_c起始到300K)。用X射线衍射技术、卢瑟福背散射(RBS)、俄歇谱仪和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)技术对这些样品进行了分析。实验结果表明T_c和ρ(T)随N含量改变而变化。当样品是B1结构时,T_c小于4.2K,而且样品内还有过量的N存在。俄歇分析表明,样品内有O,C杂质存在。这些因素都可能导致T_c很低,ρ(T)呈负的温度系数。 关键词：     

Effect of lateral tensile stresses on the low-temperature electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 nanofilms

The thickness of the buffer layer of strontium titanate introduced between an La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ manganite film and a (001)La_0.29Sr_0.71Al_0.65Ta_0.35O₃ substrate is varied (d ₁ = 7–70 nm) to influence effective misfit m in their lattice parameters. As m increases, electrical resistivity ρ of the film increases sharply and the maximum in the ρ(T) dependence shifts toward low temperatures. At T < 150 K, the temperature dependence of ρ of the manganite film obeys the relationship ρ = ρ₁ + ρ₂ T ^4.5, where parameter ρ₁ is independent of the temperature and magnetic field. Coefficient ρ₂ decreases with increasing magnetic field and increases with the misfit between the lattice parameters of the film and substrate, i.e., when the effective hole concentration in the manganite layer decreases.     

Magnetic and transport properties of UBi2 and USb2 single crystals

The thermoelectric power, S(T), of USb₂ and UBi₂, which are tetragonal, uniaxial antiferromagnets below T _N?=?202?K and 180.8?K, respectively, have been examined between 0.4?K and 300?K. The values of S(T), up to now known above 70?K for USb₂ and unknown for UBi₂, are positive along the a-axis for both compounds in the whole examined temperature range. The S(T) data for the c-axis (the easy magnetization axis) are positive near room temperature for USb₂ and UBi₂ but becomes negative below 120?K and 170?K, respectively, with two very deep minima in S(T) dependence for USb₂. In the latter compound the Fermi surface, known from literature, is composed of the only cylindrical sheets that are slightly corrugated and parallel to the c-axis. UBi₂, the Fermi surface of which is composed of one spherical and two cylindrical sheets, shows corresponding minima although less pronounced than those in USb₂. Having at disposal the highest purity single crystals in comparison to those for which the resistivity, ρ(T), has been reported in literature, the ρ(T) anisotropy was re-examined for these two systems. Magnon and phonon contributions to their total electrical resistivity have been determined and the critical fluctuation behaviour of the resistivity near T _N for both dipnictides has been analysed. Although the magnetic susceptibilities of UBi₂ and USb₂ reveal a similarity, their transport properties are significantly different due to the difference in the Fermi surface topology.     

Modification of the CVD-graphene resistivity by post-processing sample annealing

In this paper, we present the results of an additional annealing effect on the temperature dependences of the resistivity for CVD-graphene samples of a large area. We found that an annealing in a Ar/H₂ mixture at different temperatures modifies both the value of the resistivity and the slope of its temperature dependence. The annealing effect on the resultant sample quality depends on the type of the ρ(T) dependence for the initial sample. For samples with a metallic-like ρ(T) dependence, a low-temperature annealing (at T = 250 °C) results in a slight decrease in the resistivity value and an increase of the ρ(T) curve slope. Increasing the annealing temperature up to T = 400 °C leads to a stronger increase in the ρ(T) curve slope but to an increase in the resistivity value. For samples with a semiconductor-like ρ(T) dependence, increasing the annealing temperature up to T = 750 °C results in a gradual suppression of the activation character of the resistivity behavior at low temperatures. The additional annealing is concluded to be accompanied by two processes: a cleaning of the graphene surface from adsorbed contaminations and an additional defect formation in the graphene structure. A relative role of these processes in dependence on the annealing temperature and the type of the ρ(T) dependence for the initial sample is discussed.