Recent progress in oxide perovskite thin-film technology has led to th
e discovery of a large negative magnetoresistance at room temperature
in doped manganate perovskite thin films. These films may have potenti
als for magnetic sensing applications. In this paper we review the bas
ic phenomena and physics of magnetotransport in this class of material
s. We also discuss our recent demonstration of a large low-field magne
toresistance effect, and the associated challenges that lie ahead.