Abstract
DC electrical current-dependent resistance and pulsed current–voltage characteristics as a function of temperature of mixed valent Mn oxide-based
La
5
/
8
-
y
Pr
y
Ca
0.375
MnO
3
(
y
=
0.35
)
single crystals are reported. We find that the low-temperature regime of this material is strongly current dependent. For small current densities (
∼
10
μ
A
/
cm
2
)
, the metal–insulator transition related to the low-temperature enlargement of the ferromagnetic fraction is not observed down to 10
K. Higher current densities causes a large decrease of the resistance, which is temperature dependent and exhibits memory effects. Our results are interpreted within a scenario of strong competition between charge and ferromagnetic ordering.