Material characteristics of perovskite manganese oxide thin films for bolometric applications

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 (T-p) 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 T-p increases. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(97)01743-9].