Electrical transport properties of RNiO3 (R= Pr, Nd, Sm) Epitaxial Thin Films

Electrical transport properties of RNiO3 (R= Pr, Nd, Sm) thin films grown by pulse laser deposition have been studied. RNiO3 films grow in (100) direction on LaAlO3 (100) substrate. Unlike in polycrystalline solid, PrNiO3 film showed metallic behavior. The first order metal to insulator transition observed in polycrystalline solids is suppressed in RNiO3 films. The effect of lattice strain in the films influensing the transport properties has been studied by varying the thickness of PrNiO3 film on LaAlO3 and also by growing them on SrTiO3 and sapphire substrates. Deviation in the transport properties is explained due to the strain induced growth of the films. Further, we show that the transport property of LaNiO3 film is also influenced by a similar strain effect.