Anisotropic strains, metal-insulator transition, and magnetoresistance of La$_{0.7}$Ca$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$ films

Abstract

Thin films of perovskite manganite La$_{0.7}$Ca$_{0.3}$MnO$_{3}$ were grown epitaxially on various substrates by either the pulsed laser deposition method or laser molecular beam epitaxy. The substrates change both the volume and symmetry of the unit cell of the films. It is revealed that the symmetry as well as the volume of the unit cell have strong influence on the metal-insulator transition temperature and the size of magnetoresistance.