Intergranular magnetoresistance in nanomanganites

• Published in: Nanotechnology Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 212 - 219
• Main Authors: López-Quintela, M A, Hueso, L E, Rivas, J, Rivadulla, F
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.02.2003; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in interface structures; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Quantum hall effect (including fractional); Nanoparticles; Magnetization curve; Temperature dependence; Transport properties; Experimental study; Magnetoresistance; Nanostructured materials; Manganites
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/14/2/322

We present some of the most important magnetic and transport properties of mixed-valence manganite nanoparticles. The samples were prepared by a sol-gel method, which allows us to control particle size and, in this way, to obtain new properties of the archetypal ferromagnetic-metallic compound La(2/3)Ca(1/3)MnO3. Magnetic properties allow us to present a model for the nanoparticles based on an ideal inner core and an outer shell in which the magnetism is modified by oxygen non-stoichiometry, vacancies and stress. The experimental results obtained from the electrical transport properties, namely, increasing intergranular magnetoresistance (MR) with reducing particle size, tuning of intrinsic colossal MR and low-temperature electrostatic blocking effects, seem to support the proposed model.