Asymmetric ground states in La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃/BaTiO₃ heterostructures induced by flexoelectric bending

Misfit strain delivered from single-crystal substrates typically modifies the ground states of transition metal oxides, generating increasing interest in designing modern transducers and sensors. Here, we demonstrate that magnetotransport properties of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) films were continuously tuned by uniaxial strain produced by a home-designed bending jig. The electrical conductivity and Curie temperature of LSMO films are enhanced by bending stresses. The resistivity of u-shape bended LSMO decays three times faster than that of n-shape bended LSMO as a response to the same magnitude of strain. The asymmetric magnetic states in uniaxially strained LSMO are attributed to the dual actions of Jahn–Teller distortion and strain gradient mediated flexoelectric fields in an adjacent ferroelectric layer. These findings of multi-field regulation in a single material provide a feasible means for developing flexible electronic and spintronic devices.