  La1-xCaxMnO3 (x = 0.3; LCMO) films of different thickness were
sputter-deposited on SrTiO3(100) (STO) single crystal substrates with and
without YBa2Cu3O7-d (YBCO) as template layer. The electric and magnetic
properties and the microstructure of the films were studied. Clear differences
in the out-of-plane lattice parameter and the temperature of the
metal-insulator transition show that the YBCO buffer layer is very effective in
relaxing the strain of the LCMO films, which is quite difficult to release in
LCMO films directly deposited on STO. Use of such buffer layers for strain
release may prove to be a quite general tool.
