Tuning competition between metallic and insulating phases with strain, light and electric field in thin films of La0.39Pr0.24Ca0.37MnO3

The electric field and photo illumination effects in thin films of La0.39Pr0.24Ca0.37MnO3(LPCMO)/SrTiO3 with different thicknesses (15, 40 and 120 nm) have been systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate that these grown films are epitaxial and c axis oriented. Due to strain relaxation, these films are in different strain states. It is found that the strain state can greatly change not only the electrical properties but also the responses to external perturbations. The thinner film experiences a larger tensile in-plane strain and has a more robust insulating state. The low-temperature insulating state in the 120 nm sample is readily destroyed by a small electric field or light illumination without a bias voltage. Both the critical light density and the critical electric field used to collapse the insulating state in the 40 nm LPCMO film are much larger than those in the 120 nm sample. It is revealed that the bias electric field and light illumination play complementary roles. Light illumination can reduce the critical bias electric field. The 15 nm sample exhibits a robust insulating state, which cannot be destroyed by a combination of a bias voltage of 200 V (E = 4 x 10(5) V m(-1)) and light illumination (lambda = 532 nm, P = 2 mW cm(-2)). Large transient photoconductivity has been observed in the 40 nm sample under low bias voltages and in the 15 nm sample under all bias voltages. The observed transient photoconductivity and persistent photoconductivity are believed to have different origins.