First order phase transition in Sm0.53Sr0.47MnO3 films.

In the present work Sm0.53Sr0.47MnO3 thin films were deposited on single crystal LAO (LaAlO3/(100)) substrates by DC magnetron sputtering. The θ-2 and ω-2θ scans show that these films are epitaxially grown and are under small compressive strain. The paramagnetic-ferromagnetic (insulator-metal) transition was found at TC∼126 K (at TIM∼128 K). The magnetic state at T<TC is akin to cluster glass, which is formed by the presence of charge ordered-antiferromagnetic clusters in the ferromagnetic matrix. The nature of the magnetic phase transition was investigated by applying the Banerjee criterion. The negative slope of the M2 - H/M curves and hysteresis in resistivity measured in the cooling and warming cycle establishes the first order nature of the phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]