Converse piezoelectric control of the lattice strain and resistance in Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3/PMN-PT structures

Thin films of the charge-ordered Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 (PCMO) compound have been deposited on (001)-oriented ferroelectric (1-x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-xPbTiO(3) (x similar to 0.3) (PMN-PT) single-crystal substrates. The resistance of the PCMO films in the charge-ordered state and paramagnetic state can be modulated by applying dc or ac electric fields across the PMN-PT substrates. Piezoelectric displacement and x-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the electric field induces lattice strains in the PMN-PT substrates via the converse piezoelectric effect, which subsequently changes the strain state and resistance of the PCMO films. Quantitative relationships between the resistance of the PCMO films and the electric-field induced lattice strains in the PMN-PT substrates have been established, which would be important for designing converse piezoelectric effect based functional devices.