Colossal magnetoresistance over a wide temperature range in Eu0.99La0.01TiO3

Abstract

We report occurrence of large magnetoresistance in lightly doped antiferromagnetic paraelectric EuTiO3. Reports of magnetoresistance in rare-earth titanates (RTiO3 oxides) are very scarce because they are highly insulating at low temperatures. EuTiO3 is an insulator at 2.5 K and 1% La3+ substitution for Eu2+ lowers the resistivity over five orders of magnitude at 2.5 K. It is shown that Eu0.99La0.01TiO3 which is antiferromagnetic below T= 5.43 K shows large magnetoresistance over a wide temperature. At 2.5 K, magnetoresistance is -42 % for H = 6 kOe and it increases to -75 % for H = 7 T. Even at 50 K which is ten times higher than Neel temperature, magnetoresistance is very significant (-20 % for H = 7 T). It is suggested that 4f spins on Eu2+ ion is strongly exchange coupled to doped electron in Ti-3d band via f-d interation and field-induced suppression of 4f spin fluctuations decrease spin-disorder scattering experienced by 3d electrons. In view of our results, it will be interesting to investigate magnetoresistance of other rare earth titanates.

12pages, 3 figures