Intricacies of Strain and Magnetic Field Induced Charge Order Melting in Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 Thin Films

Thin films of the half doped manganite Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 were grown on (100) oriented MgO substrates by pulsed laser deposition technique. In order to study the effect of strain on the magnetic field induced charge order melting, films of different thicknesses were prepared and their properties were studied by x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements. A field induced charge order melting is observed for films with very small thicknesses. The charge order transition temperature and the magnetic filed induced charge order melting are observed to depend on the nature of strain that is experienced by the film.