Scanning tunneling spectroscopy study of c-axis proximity effect in epitaxial bilayer manganite/cuprate thin films

Recent experimental studies have indicated novel superconducting proximity effects in thin-film heterostructures comprising ferromagnetic manganites and superconducting cuprates. To look for such effects microscopically, we performed scanning tunneling spectroscopy on La2/3Ca1/3MnO3/YBa2Cu3O7−δ (LCMO/YBCO) bilayer thin films. c-axis-oriented films of varying thickness were grown on SrTiO3 substrates using pulsed laser-ablated deposition. …