Manganite-based devices: opportunities, bottlenecks and challenges

Since the rejuvenation of interest in the rare earth manganites owing to their potential use as magnetoresistive sensors, there has been adequate research to arrive at some evaluation of the potential for these materials in a variety of technologies that would use the peculiar properties of these materials. The magnetic field sensitivity of the transport properties, the strong metal insulator transition at the Curie temperature, the electric field polarizability of the material and its subsequent effect on the transport properties, the half metallicity of the electronic bands, etc., are properties of the rare earth manganites that could be exploited in a variety of devices. In this review we explore the various interesting technological avenues that are being pursued and address the uniqueness of the material that may enable a given technology as well as the various bottlenecks that will have to be overcome in order to successfully compete with the existing technologies. As is the case with many emerging materials technologies, the devices also serve as a vehicle for further understanding of the fundamental mechanisms behind the basic properties of the materials.