Abstract
Polycrystalline films of (La0.91,Sr0.09)MnO3 with and without (100)-preferred orientation are fabricated on highly N-doped Si substrates. Spatial inhomogeneities with conducting and insulating domains that coexisted in submicrometer scale were observed by conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). The inhomogeneity occurs within a grain for the film with (100)-preferred orientation, but that without (100)-preferred orientation has the inhomogeneity among grains. The domains undergo a percolative metal-insulator transition, and the transition temperature (TM-I) observed from CAFM is consistent to the result of magnetoresistance measurement, in which the film with (100)-preferred orientation has a TM-I at 130 K, while that without has a higher TM-I at 185 K. (c) 2006 The Electrochemical Society.