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Buffer-layer-controlled nickeline vs zinc-blende/wurtzite-type MnTe growths on c -plane Al2 O3 substrates

Journal Article · · Physical Review Materials
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [1]
  1. Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
  4. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
In the recent past, MnTe has proven to be a crucial component of the intrinsic magnetic topological insulator (IMTI) family [MnTe]m[Bi2Te3]n, which hosts a wide range of magneto-topological properties depending on the choice of m and n. However, bulk crystal growth allows only a few combinations of m and n for these IMTIs due to the strict limitations of the thermodynamic growth conditions. One way to overcome this challenge is to utilize atomic layer-by-layer molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique, which allows arbitrary sequences of [MnTe]m and [Bi2Te3]n to be formed beyond the thermodynamic limit. For such MBE growth, finding optimal growth templates and conditions for the parent building block, MnTe, is a key requirement. Here, we report that two different hexagonal phases of MnTe - nickeline (NC) and zinc-blende/wurtzite (ZB-WZ) structures, with distinct in-plane lattice constants of 4.20 ± 0.04 Å and 4.39 ± 0.04 Å, respectively - can be selectively grown on c-plane Al2O3 substrates using different buffer layers and growth temperatures. Moreover, we provide the first comparative studies of different MnTe phases using atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and show that ZB and WZ-like stacking sequences can easily alternate between the two. Surprisingly, In2Se3 buffer layer, despite its lattice constant (4.02 Å) being closer to that of the NC phase, fosters the ZB-WZ instead, whereas Bi2Te3, sharing the same lattice constant (4.39 Å) with the ZB-WZ phase, fosters the NC phase. Furthermore, these discoveries suggest that lattice matching is not always the most critical factor determining the preferred phase during epitaxial growth. Overall, this will deepen our understanding of epitaxial growth modes for chalcogenide materials and accelerate progress toward new IMTI phases as well as other magneto-topological applications.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation (NSF); US Army Research Office (ARO); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725; SC0012704
OSTI ID:
2324873
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2438658
OSTI ID: 2474362
Report Number(s):
BNL--225397-2024-JAAM
Journal Information:
Physical Review Materials, Journal Name: Physical Review Materials Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 8; ISSN 2475-9953
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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