Interplay between electronic transport and magnetic order in ferromagnetic manganite thin films

The transition metal oxides La(1-x)A(x)MnO(3) (A = Ba, Ca, or Sr) order ferromagnetically with Curie temperatures ranging from as low as 50 K to well above room temperature. Magnetic order in these compounds results in a concomitant metal-insulator transition. The feature displayed by the manganites that is most important technologically is the extremely large negative magnetoresistance that achieves its largest values near the magnetic ordering temperature. Qualitatively, this colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) phenomenon involves the suppression of the relatively sharp maximum in the resistivity that is centered at T-c. When considered collectively, the anomalous temperature-dependent transport properties, the CMR effect, and the magnetically ordered ground state indicate that a novel interplay between magnetism and electronic transport occurs in the manganites. General features of the magnetic-field and temperature-dependent electrical resistivity and magnetization as displayed by PLD-grown thin films are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on what these measurements tell us about the conduction process both above and below the magnetic ordering temperature.