Interface effects in perovskite thin films.

The control of matter properties (transport, magnetic, dielectric,…) using synthesis as thin films is strongly hindered by the lack of reliable theories, able to guide the design of new systems, through the understanding of the interface effects and of the way the substrate constraints are imposed on the material. The present Letter analyzes the energetic contributions at the interfaces, and proposes a model describing the microscopic mechanisms governing the interactions at an epitaxial interface between a manganite and another transition metal oxide in perovskite structure (as for instance SrTiO3). The model is checked against experimental results and literature analysis.