Structure and functionalities of manganite/cuprate thin film

Bilayer thin film samples consisting of colossal magnetoresistance manganite La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCMO) and superconducting cuprate YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) were stabilized by means of pulsed laser deposition techniques on single crystal SrTiO3 (001) substrate. The X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the epitaxial relationship of grown bilayer samples. The functional properties of the LCMO/YBCO bilayer were explored through magnetic and electrical transport measurements. The magnetization curve of LCMO/YBCO bilayer sample retains the characteristic ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition of LCMO and superconducting transition of YBCO. The electrical resistivity was found to show different trend around the superconducting transition depending upon the four probe electrical contacts configuration on bilayer samples and the obtained results lead to direct visualization of proximity effect. A change in sign of magnetoresistance near the superconducting and metal to insulator transition temperature is observed which is attributed to the intrinsic property of YBCO and LCMO layers.