Epitaxial ferromagnetic Fe$_{3}$Si/Si(111) structures with high-quality hetero-interfaces

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the successful epitaxial growth of high-quality ferromagnetic Fe₃Si layers on Si(111) substrates at low temperature, achieving abrupt interfaces and promising magnetic and electrical properties for silicon-based spintronics.

Contribution

We achieved epitaxial growth of Fe₃Si on Si(111) with an ordered phase and high interface quality using low-temperature MBE, advancing silicon-based spintronic device development.

Findings

Magnetic moment of ~3.16 μB per formula unit at room temperature

Rectifying Schottky-diode behavior with ideality factor ~1.08

Epitaxial Fe₃Si layers with abrupt interfaces on Si(111)

Abstract

To develop silicon-based spintronic devices, we have explored high-quality ferromagnetic Fe$_{3}$Si/silicon (Si) structures. Using low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy at 130 $^circ$C, we realize epitaxial growth of ferromagnetic Fe$_{3}$Si layers on Si (111) with keeping an abrupt interface, and the grown Fe$_{3}$Si layer has the ordered $DO_{3}$ phase. Measurements of magnetic and electrical properties for the Fe$_{3}$Si/Si(111) yield a magnetic moment of ~ 3.16 $mu_{B}$/f.u. at room temperature and a rectifying Schottky-diode behavior with the ideality factor of ~ 1.08, respectively.