Structural, magnetic, and electric properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/PbZrxTi1-xO3 heterostructures

Epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/PbZrxTi1-xO3 multilayers were fabricated by pulsed-laser deposition and studied by structural, magnetic, and electric characterization techniques. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffractometry proved the excellent structural quality of the samples. A high ferroelectric polarization and stable piezoelectric switching were found for the lead zirconate titanate layers, whereas the manganite layers showed bulklike resistivity and magnetoresistance, both attesting to the high quality of the layers. In a detailed study of the magnetic response of the multilayers multiple magnetization switching was observed that was related to the complex strain state.