Ferromagnetic Domain Movement in Hole-doped Manganites at Low Current Densities

The hole-doped manganite (La_1-yPr_y)_1-xCa_xMnO₃ (LPCMO) shows electronic phase separation among the ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) and anti-ferromagnetic insulating (AFM) regions. The combined effect of these coexisting phases leads to magnetic behaviors that make LPCMO a promising candidate for magnetic memory. Due to the comparable free energies of the FMM and AFM phases, in-plane electric fields are known to rearrange the FMM domains. This work investigates whether the FMM regions can be moved at low current densities. Such electric-field-induced movement of ferromagnetic regions make hole-doped manganites materials of interest for applications in solid state magnetic memory devices, such as racetrack memory. We grew LPCMO thin films on NdGaO₃ substrates using pulsed laser deposition and fabricated microstructures in the shape of wires using photolithography. The microwire widths ranged from 5 µm to 20 µm, with lengths on the order of 1 mm. We measured the magnetotransport properties of these wires to track the movement of the FMM regions at different electric and magnetic fields. Our results could provide an alternative technique for moving magnetic domains using electric fields at low current densities instead of the high current densities needed for spin transfer torque effects.