Sequential Phase Formation during Reactive Diffusion of a Nanometric-Thick Mn Film on Ge(111)

Abstract

In recent years, spintronics whose principle is based on controlling the spin of electrons in semiconductor layers is presented as a complementary or even an alternative solution for production of logic devices in microelectronics. It relies on the fact that electric current in a magnetic layer can be spin polarized. Manufacture of such components is based on the use of materials or heterostructures whose electronic properties depend on their magnetic state. The magnetic Mn-Ge system is interesting because of its possible development at high Curie temperature and its integration on Si substrate. Among all of the Mn-Ge phase compounds of the diagram, Mn5Ge3 seems the most interesting one for spintronics applications: it is a stable and ferromagnetic phase at room temperature. In this paper, we present first results of the study, by Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), of the sequence of formation of the MnxGey phases in the case of reaction of a nanometric-thick Mn film (200nm) deposited by MBE on Ge (111).