A comparative study of thin films of hole-doped Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 and electron-doped Pr0.4Ca0.6MnO3

Properties of thin films of hole-doped Pr0.6Ca0.4MnO3 and electron-doped Pr0.4Ca0.6MnO3 are compared. While both are charge-ordered insulators, the hole-doped manganate undergoes an insulator–metal (I–M) transition on the application of magnetic-fields, but the electron-doped manganate does not. Substitution of 3% Cr3+ or Ru4+ in the Mn site has greater effect on the hole-doped manganate. Electrical fields, however, have similar effects on the hole-doped and electron-doped manganates, both exhibiting current-induced I–M transitions. The study not only establishes that the mechanism of the I–M transition brought about by electric and magnetic fields are different, but also suggests that the electronic structures of the hole-doped and electron-doped manganates have basic differences.