The transport properties and magnetic coupling in the trilayered films of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3/(La0.3Nd0.7)(2/3)Ca1/3MnO3/La2/3Ca1/3MnO3

The trilayered films of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3/(La0.3Nd0.7)(2/3)Ca1/3MnO3/La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LNL) with different thickness combinations are prepared by do magnetron sputtering technique. The electrical transport and magnetic properties of the LNL films are investigated systematically. It is found that the performance of magnetoresistance effect in some of the LNL films can be improved. The electrical transport are mainly determined by the top-layer of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 when the thickness of top-layer is larger than 150 nm, and the middle-layer and crossover-layer in the interface between top-layer and middle-layer caused by the diffusion of La3+ and Nd3+ ions will play an important role with decreasing the thickness of top-layer. However, the magnetic properties are determined by the whole of films associated with the crossoverlayers and the strong magnetic coupling interaction between the inter-layers. (C) 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim