We report on the optical properties of the hole-doped manganites Nd 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 , La 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 , and La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 . The low-energy optical conductivity in the paramagnetic-insulating state of these materials is characterized by a broad maximum near 1 eV. This feature shifts to lower energy and grows in optical oscillator strength as the temperature is lowered into the ferromagnetic state. It remains identifiable well below T c and transforms eventually into a Drude-like response. This optical behavior and the activated transport in the paramagnetic state of these materials are consistent with a Jahn-Teller small polaron. The optical spectra and oscillator strength changes compare well with models that include both double exchange and the dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in the description of the electronic structure.

We present a study of the effect of biaxial strain on the electrical and magnetic properties of thin films of manganites. We observe that manganite films grown under biaxial compressive strain exhibit island growth morphology which leads to a non-uniform distribution of the strain. Transport and magnetic properties of these films suggest the coexistence of two different phases, a metallic ferromagnet and an insulating antiferromagnet. We suggest that the high strain regions are insulating while the low strain regions are metallic. In such non-uniformly strained samples, we observe a large magnetoresistance and a field-induced insulator to metal transition.Comment: 5 pages ReVTeX, 5 figures included, Figures 3, 4 and 5 low resolution, high resolution figures available on request from authors, submitted to Phys. Rev.

We are optimizing thin films of perovskite manganese oxides for bolometric applications. We have studied the relevant material characteristics of several members of this family namely, La0.7Ba0.3MnO3, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, La0.7Ca0.3MnO3, and Nd0.7Sr0.3MnO3. Here, we discuss issues related to the choice of material, the influence of deposition parameters, and postdeposition heat treatments on the relevant characteristics such as the resistivity-peak temperature (Tp) and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). For a given material, a higher peak temperature implies a larger temperature coefficient of resistance. In contrast, on comparing different material systems, the TCR tends to decrease as Tp increases.

We present evidence for the coexistence of ferromagnetic metallic and charge ordered insulating phases in strained thin films of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 at low temperatures. Such a phase separated state is confirmed using low temperature magnetic force microscopy and magnetotransport measurements. This phase separated state is not observed in the bulk form of this compound and is caused by the structural inhomogeneities due to the non-uniform distribution of strain in the film. The strain weakens the low temperature ferromagnetic metallic state and a charge ordered insulator is formed at the high strain regions. The slow dynamics of the transport properties of the mixed phase is illustrated by measurements of the long time scale relaxation of the electrical resistance.

We report an observation of a sign change in the Hall resistivity p"~i n the superconducting state of the n-type superconductor Ndl 8&Ceo»Cu04~. This anomaly in other superconductors has widely been attributed to extrinsic effects, such as pinning or thermoelectric effects, or else to complicated band structures. However, the behavior of the Hall effect in the n-type cuprate Ndl 8,Ceo»Cu04 y and the systematics of the anomaly in other superconducting materials together provide strong evidence against such models. The data instead indicate that p"~r eveals an intrinsic property of vortex motion.