Electrical transport in ultrathin NdNiO3 films

Electrical transport properties in ultrathin NdNiO3 films grown on single crystal LaAlO3 (001) substrate were characterized. Films with thicknesses ranging from 0.6 nm to 12 nm were grown using a pulsed laser technique. Four probe resistivity as a function of temperature measurements indicated a strong dissipation of strain effects from 0.6 nm to 6 nm as well as the presence of defects in the 12 nm sample. A proposed mechanism of kinetically stable glassy phase formation explains the time dependence of the resistivity in both cooling and heating cycles.