Microstructure and electrical properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films deposited by metallo-organic decomposition method

Lanthanum strontium manganate (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3: LSMO) thin films were grown on SiO2/Si substrates by a metallo-organic decomposition method, and their crystalline structure, microstructure and electrical properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films with a perovskite single phase could be obtained by annealing at 700 °C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the films consisted of packed grains with a mean grain size of approximately 25 nm. The resistivity of the La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films decreased rapidly as the annealing temperature increased from 550 to 700 °C, and did not change greatly with increasing annealing temperature from 700 °C. The La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films annealed at 700 °C had a lower resistivity of 5.70×10−4 Ω m.