Effect of Zn Doping on Transport Properties of La2/3 Sr1/3 Mn1 - x Znx O3 Films

Abstract La 2/3 Sr 1/3 Mn 1 - x Zn x O 3 films ( x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5) were prepared using magnetron sputtering method, and the effect of Zn doping on transport properties of the films was studied. An analysis of X-ray diffraction showed that the main phase of the bulk target was orthorhombic and the films had better epitaxial character. It was found that the films with x =0.05 and x =0.1 exhibited typical insulator-metal transition. No transition of the films with x ≥0.3 was observed and the dominant transport was variable-range hopping due to observable secondary phase ZnO. These could be attributed to the Zn doping effect on manganites.