Atomic-scale surface morphology of epitaxial ferromagnetic MnAs thin films grown on vicinal GaAs(111)B substrates

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1360258· OSTI ID:40203836

Sugahara, Satoshi; Tanaka, Masaaki

We have investigated the atomic-scale surface morphology and magnetic anisotropy of ferromagnetic MnAs films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on vicinal GaAs(111)B substrates misoriented 2{degree} toward the [{bar 1}{bar 1}2] direction. The MnAs films were grown in a step-flow-like manner and atomically flat terraces appeared on the surface in the temperature range between 220 and 300{degree}C. The terrace width was elongated dramatically in comparison with the original terrace width on the GaAs buffer layer, which resulted from the macrostep formation induced by the step-bunching phenomenon during the growth of MnAs. The terrace width and the macrostep height were 70 and 2 nm, respectively, for the MnAs film grown at 250{degree}C and both values increased with increasing the growth temperature. The MnAs films grown on the vicinal surface were found to exhibit in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy induced by the macrosteps, which was not observed in the MnAs films grown on the exact GaAs(111)B surface. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.

• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• OSTI ID: 40203836
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 89; ISSN 0021-8979
• Publisher: The American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
BUFFERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MORPHOLOGY
PHYSICS
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS