Sm x Nd 1−x NiO 3 thin-film solid solutions with tunable metal–insulator transition synthesized by alternate-target pulsed-laser deposition

Abstract

Thin-film solid solutions of SmxNd1−xNiO3 were synthesized on NdGaO3 substrates by pulsed-laser deposition using alternating NdNiO3 and SmNiO3 targets. The films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and variable-temperature four-probe conductivity measurements. The films grow in the {100}pseudocubic direction. There is a nearly linear increase of the metal–insulator transition from 199 K for x=0 to 378 K for x=1, with the composition corresponding to x=0.6 displaying a transition near room temperature.