Micro-raman and resistance measurements of epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films

The Channel-Spark method was used for deposition of highly oriented ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films on NdGaO3 substrates. It was found that additional oxygen decreases the film quality suppressing the Curie temperature and metal-insulator transition below room temperature. To achieve the best quality of the films the samples were either annealed in high vacuum at deposition temperature or even deposited in argon atmosphere with no oxygen annealing. For such films the resistive measurements showed a metallic behaviour in the interval 10 to 300 K in accordance with the high Curie point (TC >= 350 K). Micro-Raman analysis indicates that the La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films are well ordered, while some outgrowths show stoichiometrical deviations.