MAGNETIC AND TRANSPORT-PROPERTIES OF SPUTTERED LA0.67CA0.33MNO3 THIN-FILMS

We report on the magnetic and transport properties of thin films of La 0.67Ca0.33MnO3 as a function of annealing temperature, substrate mater ial and film thickness. The films were sputtered from a stoichiometric target with the same nominal composition and were grown epitaxially o n SrTiO3 and LaAlO3 substrates. We find a clear correlation between th e ferromagnetic ordering temperature T-M and the magnitude of the magn etoresistance ratio (MR ratio). Also, T-M appears to be extremely sens itive to the preparation conditions: within the one composition invest igated, T-M could be made to vary between 125 K and 255 K.