Investigating the effects of contacting functional oxide films

Abstract

Advanced oxides are the current focus of intense research activity, driven by their numerous attractive properties for next generation microelectronics. However, reliable strategies must be developed for the electrical contacting of such films without compromising their functionality. We explore the effect of depositing both noble and oxidising metals onto the ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) in terms of its structural and magnetic properties. Whilst noble metal overlayers have negligible impact, the metals typically used as adhesion layers, such as Ti, can drive a structural phase transition in the LSMO, producing a Brownmillerite phase and impairing the magnetisation.