Epitaxial ferromagnetic Fe{sub 3}Si on GaAs(111)A with atomically smooth surface and interface

Journal Article · Mon Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4931443· OSTI ID:22482128

Liu, Y. C.; Hung, H. Y.; Chen, Y. W.; Lin, Y. H.; Cheng, C. K.; Tseng, S. C.; Chang, M. T.; Lo, S. C. ^[1]

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1. Material and Chemical Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 31040, Taiwan (China)

Single crystal ferromagnetic Fe{sub 3}Si(111) films were grown epitaxially on GaAs(111)A by molecular beam epitaxy. These hetero-structures possess extremely low surface roughness of 1.3 Å and interfacial roughness of 1.9 Å, measured by in-situ scanning tunneling microscope and X-ray reflectivity analyses, respectively, showing superior film quality, comparing to those attained on GaAs(001) in previous publications. The atomically smooth interface was revealed by the atomic-resolution Z (atomic number)-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images using the correction of spherical aberration (Cs)-corrected electron probe. Excellent crystallinity and perfect lattice match were both confirmed by high resolution x-ray diffraction. Measurements of magnetic property for the Fe{sub 3}Si/GaAs(111) yielded a saturation moment of 990 emu/cm{sup 3} with a small coercive field ≤1 Oe at room temperature.

• OSTI ID: 22482128
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 12; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INTERFACES
IRON SILICIDES
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MONOCRYSTALS
REFLECTIVITY
ROUGHNESS
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION