Magnetic Order in Pulsed Laser Deposited (Fe,Ni)5GeTe2 Films

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the successful growth and characterization of (Fe,Ni)5GeTe2 thin films exhibiting high crystallographic texture, robust ferromagnetism at ~498 K, and tunable spin-dependent transport properties.

Contribution

First demonstration of pulsed laser deposited (Fe,Ni)5GeTe2 thin films with high texture and ferromagnetic order at high Curie temperature.

Findings

Curie temperature reaches ~498 K.

Clear anomalous Hall effect observed.

Magnetoresistance depends on film thickness.

Abstract

We report the successful growth of highly textured thin films of (Fe,Ni)5GeTe2 two-dimensional ferromagnet on c-plane sapphire using pulsed laser deposition. Structural characterization via X-ray diffraction confirms preferential orientation along the (000l) direction, indicative of a high crystallographic texture. These films of van der Waals (vdW) type interplanar bonding exhibit robust ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature reaching ~ 498 K. Electrical transport measurements reveal a clear anomalous Hall effect, with an anomalous Hall conductivity and Hall angle (%) of ~ 20 Ohm-1cm-1 and ~ 0.90, respectively. Furthermore, the magnetoresistance displays a pronounced dependence on film thickness, highlighting the tunability of spin-dependent transport in these vdW ferromagnetic thin films.