Large low-field magnetoresistance over a wide temperature range induced by weak-link grain boundaries in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3

Polycrystalline bulk porous samples with a large number of weak-link grain boundaries and high density polycrystalline bulk samples with strong-link boundaries were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction and a partial melting technique. The weak-link samples showed large magnetoresistance (MR,Delta rho/rho(H)= [rho(0) - rho(H)]/rho(0)), 20-30%, at a low magnetic field of 300 mT and over a wide temperature range from the magnetic transition at 235 to 77 K. The partially melted samples exhibited the same magnetoresistance behavior as that of single crystals with a maximum peak MR of 15% at a narrow temperature range around the ferromagnetic transition. It is suggested that grain boundaries are necessary but not sufficient to account for the MR at low field over a large temperature range. Weak-link grain boundaries rather than strong-link boundaries are responsible for the MR at low field over a large temperature range. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.