Out-of-plane low field anisotropic magnetoresistance in Nd0.51Sr0.49MnO3 thin films

A comparative study of the out-of-plane anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) in single crystalline and polycrystalline thin films of phase separated manganite Nd0.51Sr0.49MnO3 has been carried out. On-axis DC magnetron sputtering was used to deposit the single crystalline films (30 and 100 nm in thickness) on single crystal (0 0 1) LaAlO3 (LAO) and polycrystalline films (100 nm) on (1 0 0) Yttrium-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) substrates. The in-plane and out-of-plane magnetotransport properties of these films differ significantly. A large low field AMR is observed in all the films. AMR shows a peak below the insulator–metal transition temperature in the single crystalline films, while the same increases monotonically in the polycrystalline film. Relatively larger low field AMR (∼20% at T=78 K and H=1.7 kOe) in the polycrystalline films suggests the dominance of the shape anisotropy.

► In plane and out-of-plane LFMR and AMR of Nd0.51Sr0.49MnO3 thin films.
► Magnetic easy axis lies in the plane of all films.
► In-plane and out-of-plane magnetotransport properties differ significantly.
► Large low field AMR in all films.
► Larger low field AMR in the polycrystalline films suggests the dominance of shape anisotropy.