Two-phase behavior in strained thin films of hole-doped manganites

We present a study of the effect of biaxial strain on the electrical and ma gnetic properties of thin films of manganites. We observe that manganite fi lms grown under biaxial compressive strain exhibit island growth morphology which leads to a nonuniform distribution of the strain. Transport and magn etic properties of these films suggest the coexistence of two different pha ses, a metallic ferromagnet and an insulating antiferromagnet. We suggest t hat the high strain regions are insulating while the low strain regions are metallic. In such nonuniformly strained samples, we observe a large magnet oresistance and a field-induced insulator-to-metal transition.