Influence of strain on the atomic and electronic structure of manganite films

A study of the long-range, local and electronic structure of Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 films of varying thickness between 500 and 2000 Å has been performed. Local structure measurements at the Sr K-edge reveal a reduction of the Mn-O-Mn bond angles in films below 1000 Å. Spin-polarized measurements reveal splitting of the Mn 3d eg state in the strained region of the films and are consistent with a two-layer model for thick films with a relaxed undistorted layer on top of a strained structurally distorted layer near the substrate.