Semiconducting nature and magnetoresistance behaviour of ZnO / La0.3Ca0.7MnO3 / SrTiO3 heterostructures

In this report, ZnO /La0.3Ca0.7MnO3 /SrTiO3 (ZnO /LCMO /STO) heterostructures, with various thicknesses of LCMO, were grown successfully using chemical solution deposition (CSD) method. X–ray diffraction (XRD) measurement confirms the presence of LCMO and ZnO phases only without any other unwanted phases. To understand the charge conduction mechanisms across ZnO /LCMO interface as well as for LCMO manganite thin layer, temperature dependent resistivity measurements have been investigated under different applied magnetic fields. The measured ρ (T) data of all the heterostructures in current perpendicular to plane (CPP; for ZnO /LCMO interface studies) mode and current in plane (CIP; for LCMO thin layer studies) mode show the semiconducting behaviour throughout the temperature and magnetic field range studied. The semiconducting state of all the heterostructures have been studied using Mott type variable range hopping (VRH) mechanism to understand the field dependence of charge carrier localization length. Observed negative magnetoresistance (MR) has been discussed in detail with its dependence on applied magnetic field, temperature and manganite layer thickness.