  We have investigated the electrical transport properties of 8 nm thick
La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 films, sputter-deposited on SrTiO3 (STO), and etched into 5
micrometer-wide bridges by Ar-ion etching. We find that even slight overetching
of the film leads to conductance of the STO substrate, and asymmetric and
non-linear current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. However, a brief oxygen
plasma etch allows full recovery of the insulating character of the substrate.
The I-V characteristics of the bridges are then fully linear over a large range
of current densities. We find colossal magnetoresistance properties typical for
strained LCMO on STO but no signature of non-linear effects (so-called
electroresistance) connected to electronic inhomogeneites. In the metallic
state below 150 K, the highest current densities lead to heating effects and
non-linear I-V characteristics.
