Multifunctional La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ (LSMO) Thin Films Integrated on Mica Substrates toward Flexible Spintronics and Electronics

Integrating oxide thin films on flexible substrates is a critical step toward future applications of multifunctional oxides for flexible electronics and spintronic devices. As a demonstration, multifunctional La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ (LSMO) thin films have been deposited on flexible mica substrates. The crystallinity and microstructure of the films have been characterized to show the good epitaxial quality of the films. The LSMO thin films on mica present excellent ferromagnetic and magnetoresistance properties (such as saturation magnetization M_s of 125–400 emu/cm³ at 10 K and a high MR value of ∼45% at 5 K under 1 T for the 50 mTorr deposited sample), which is even better than the ones on conventional rigid single-crystal oxide substrates. More interestingly, no deterioration of the properties is observed under mechanically bending condition, which demonstrates the good mechanical stretchability and property stability of the LSMO thin films on mica. The demonstration of functional oxides integrated on flexible mica substrates paves a route toward future flexible spintronics and electronics.