Synthesis and magnetic and transport properties of Sol-Gel derived manganite perovsikte Nd_{1-cursive greek chi}A_{cursive greek chi}MnO₃ (A=Sr, Ba)

We report a reproducible polymeric sol-gel process for the synthesis of manganite perovskite Nd_{1-cursive Greek chi}A_{cursive Greek chi}MnO₃ (A = Sr, Ba) thin films exhibiting colossal magnetoresistance. A series of Nd_{1-cursive Greek chi}A_{cursive Greek chi}MnO₃ coating solutions (3 % solid content) was prepared by mixing the corresponding stock solutions of the strontium 2-methoxyethoxide, manganese(II) acetate tetrahydrate, barium 2-methoxyethoxide, and neodyium(III) acetylacetonate in an appropriate molar ratio. The solutions underwent further processing steps of hydrolysis, spin coating, and heat treatment to form Nd_{1-cursive Greek chi}A_{cursive Greek chi}MnO₃ thin films. We also studied the magnetic and the transport properties of the samples. It was found that the ferromagnetic transition temperatures T_Cs, the resisitivity, the magnitude of the magnetization, the room-temperature magnetoresistance effect of the sol-gel derived Nd_{1-cursive Greek chi}A_{cursive Greek chi}MnO₃ thin films were comparable to those of the samples grown using other techniques.