Soft X-ray Absorption and Photoemission Studies of Ferromagnetic Mn-Implanted 3$C$-SiC

TL;DR

This study investigates the electronic structure of Mn-implanted 3C-SiC using advanced X-ray spectroscopic techniques, revealing the formation of Mn5Si2:C clusters and their electronic states, which influence the material's magnetic properties.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the electronic states and clustering behavior of Mn in 3C-SiC, combining spectroscopic analysis with microscopy observations.

Findings

Mn 2p XPS and XAS spectra show intermediate Mn 3d states.

Suppressed Fermi level intensity indicates cluster formation.

Spectroscopic results align with TEM observations of Mn5Si2:C clusters.

Abstract

We have performed x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and resonant photoemission spectroscopy (RPES) measurements of Mn-implanted 3$C$-SiC (3$C$-SiC:Mn) and carbon-incorporated Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$ (Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C). The Mn 2$p$ core-level XPS and XAS spectra of 3$C$-SiC:Mn and Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C were similar to each other and showed "intermediate" behaviors between the localized and itinerant Mn 3$d$ states. The intensity at the Fermi level was found to be suppressed in 3$C$-SiC:Mn compared with Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C. These observations are consistent with the formation of Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C clusters in the 3$C$-SiC host, as observed in a recent transmission electron microscopy study.