  Designing nonvolatile multi-level resistive devices is the necessity of time
to go beyond traditional one-bit storage systems, thus enhancing the storage
density. Here, we explore the electronic phase competition scenario to design
multi-level resistance states using a half doped CE-type charge ordered
insulating bulk manganite, $Sm_{0.5}Ca_{0.25}Sr_{0.25}MnO_3$ (SCSMO). By
introducing electronic phase coexistence in a controllable manner in SCSMO, we
show that the system can be stabilized into several metastable states, against
thermal cycling, up to 62 K. As a result the magnetization (and the
resistivity) remains unaltered during the thermal cycling. Monte Carlo
calculations using two-band double exchange model, including super-exchange,
electron-phonon coupling, and quenched disorder, show that the system freezes
into a phase coexistence metastable state during the thermal cycling due to the
chemical disorder in SCSMO. Using the obtained insights we outline a pathway by
utilizing four reversible metastable resistance states to design a prototype
multi-bit memory device.

Applied Physics;Materials Science;Strongly Correlated Electrons