Designing reversible multi-level resistance states in a half-doped manganite

We design reversible multi-level resistance states in a half-doped charge-ordered manganite, Sm0.5Ca0.25Sr0.25MnO3 (SCSMO). By exploiting the electronic phase separation in SCSMO at 10K, we show that the system can be stabilized into several metastable states, against thermal cycling, up to 62 K. The magnetization and the resistivity remain unaltered in each metastable states during the thermal cycling. Monte Carlo calculations using a two-band double-exchange model, including super-exchange, electron-phonon coupling, and quenched disorder, show that the system freezes into a phase-separated metastable state due to the disorder during the thermal cycling. We outline pathway to control the multi-level switching between four reversible metastable states. Our results may open the door for future investigations to engineer memory devices based on multi-level resistance switching using phase-separated transition metal oxides. Copyright (C) 2021 EPLA