Fabrication of ordered array of nanowires of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (x=0.33) in alumina templates with enhanced ferromagnetic transition temperature

We report fabrication of array of crystalline nanowires (average diameter of 65 nm) of colossal magnetoresistive oxide La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LCMO, x=0.33) within anodized alumina templates by filling the pores with a sol that allows formation of LCMO phase at the relatively low temperature of 600degreesC. The crystalline nanowires with correct stoichiometry stabilize in the orthorhombic phase at room temperature. The nanowires are ferromagnetic at room temperature and exhibit enhanced ferromagnetic transition temperature well in excess of 300 K, which is substantially higher than that of single crystalline LCMO. This enhancement we attribute to the size induced lattice contraction in the nanowires. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.