Pulsed laser deposition of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 thin films on LiNbO3 and surface acoustic wave studies
Abstract Surface Acoustic Waves on piezoelectric substrates can be used to investigate the dynamic conductivity of thin films in a non-contact and very sensitive way, especially at low conductivities. Here, we report on such surface acoustic wave studies to characterize thin manganite film like La 0.67 Ca 0.33 MnO 3 , exhibiting a Jan Teller effect with a strong electron phonon interaction and a metal insulator transition at high temperatures. We report on the deposition of La 0.67 Ca 0.33 MnO 3 on piezoelectric substrates (LiNbO 3 in different crystal cuts, employing a pulsed laser deposition technique. The structural quality of the thin films are examined by X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. For the electrical characterization, we employ the surface acoustic wave technique, accompanied by conventional direct current resistance measurements for comparison.