Biaxial strain in the hexagonal plane of MnAs thin films: the key to stabilize ferromagnetism to higher temperature

The alpha-beta magnetostructural phase transition in MnAs/GaAs(111) epilayers is investigated by elastic neutron scattering. The in-plane parameter of MnAs remains almost constant with temperature from 100 to 420 K, following the thermal evolution of the GaAs substrate. This induces a temperature dependent biaxial strain that is responsible for an alpha-beta phase coexistence and, more importantly, for the stabilization of the ferromagnetic alpha phase at a higher temperature than in the bulk. We explain the premature appearance of the beta phase at 275 K and the persistence of the ferromagnetic alpha phase up to 350 K with thermodynamical arguments based on the MnAs phase diagram. It results that the biaxial strain in the hexagonal plane is the key parameter to extend the ferromagnetic phase well over room temperature.     

Optical characteristics of MBE grown GaMnAs embedded with MnAs clusters

Photoluminescence (PL) measurements of the GaMnAs layers embedded with MnAs clusters have been performed. It was shown that the presence of MnAs clusters in the semiconducting matrix leads to appearance in the PL spectra a broad peak with local maximums at 1.36 and 1.33 eV, which are related with the defects generated in the phase separation process. The effect of the MnAs clusters on the temperature dependent band gap of GaMnAs was also observed.     

Ferromagnetism in InMnAs layers at room temperature

The InMnAs layers with ferromagnetic properties at room temperature are prepared by laser ablation. This is confirmed by the results of investigating the anomalous Hall and magneto-optical Kerr effects and by magnetic-force microscopy. According to x-ray diffraction data, the InMnAs layers have a fairly high crystal quality but contain inclusions of the MnAs hexagonal phase. An analysis of the electrical properties of the InMnAs layers suggests that the ferromagnetism revealed at room temperature cannot be accounted for by the presence of the MnAs phase but is associated with the charge carrier transfer in the InMnAs matrix.     

Thermoelectric Properties of a Ferromagnetic Semiconductor Based on a Dirac Semimetal (Cd<Subscript>3</Subscript>As<Subscript>2</Subscript>) under High Pressure

The pressure dependences of thermal emf (a parameter that ranks among the most sensitive to phase transformations) are studied for the purpose of identifying baric phase transitions in the 10–50 GPa interval in the Cd₃As₂ + MnAs (44.7% MnAs) structure formed by ferromagnetic MnAs granules in a semiconductor Cd₃As₂ matrix.     

The Synthesis and Investigation of the Electrical Properties of Tricadmium Diarsenide with MnAs Nanogranules

Technical Physics - Samples of tricadmium diarsenide with MnAs nanogranules (44.7 mol % MnAs) are synthesized. The morphology of the samples is studied by X-ray phase analysis and electron...     

Magnetic force microscopy of GaAs:Mn ferromagnetic semiconductors

The dependence of magnetic properties of GaAs:Mn and MnAs epitaxial films grown on GaAs (001) by laser ablation of Mn and undoped GaAs in a hydrogen atmosphere under the growth conditions has been studied by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). Magnetic probe calibration for quantitative MFM measurements was performed by scanning across the slit of the magnetic-head of a tape recorder through which controlled direct current was passed. The dipole approximation was used to describe the magnetic properties of the MFM probe. Nonuniformity of the magnetization of GaAs:Mn films related to the formation of MnAs nanoinclusions, which are ferromagnetic at 300 K, has been observed. The typical scales of the spatial nonuniformity of the magnetization of GaAs:Mn films were varied from 270 to 550 nm depending on the film-growth conditions. The MnAs phase was identified by MFM measurements at an elevated temperature (up to 80°N).     

Growth and Properties of Ferromagnet-SemiconDuctor Hetero-Structures for Spin Injection

Molecular-beam epitaxial growth and interface formation is investigated and optimized for the material systems Fe-on-GaAs(001) and MnAs-on-GaAs(001), which represent model systems for the integration of magnetic materials with semiconductors and the investigation of spin injection. In view of interface reactions as a key problem for the first system and in order to optimize the surface morphology, the Fe films are grown at reduced temperature. For MnAs-on-GaAs, an abrupt interface with an anisotropic lattice-mismatch accommodation mechanism is observed, which explains the unexpected high quality of the films. It is shown that the phase transition between paramagnetic g MnAs and ferromagnetic f MnAs during cooling after growth plays an important role and leads, at appropriate conditions, to strain-mediated self-organized structures. Electrical injection of spin polarized electrons through the ferromagnet-semiconductor interfaces is observed by analyzing the electroluminescence signal of GaAs/(In, Ga)As light emitting diodes capped with Fe or MnAs.     

Magnetic pole pinning at rectangular defects on MnAs/GaAs(0 0 1)

Strong magnetic poles at characteristic rectangular defects have been observed using a magnetic force microscope on a MnAs(  1 0 0) thin film with the thickness of 30 nm. The MnAs thin film was epitaxially grown on a GaAs(0 0 1) substrate. The magnetic poles were in one-arranging direction, being independent of the magnetization direction of the film. The poles were pinned at the edges of the rectangular defects until just below the Curie temperature, and formed a stable magnetic-field loop on the MnAs surface. The stability of the magnetic pole pinning shows the distinctive feature of the magnetic domain structure on the surface with a strong anisotropy, which was built in the heterostructure of MnAs and GaAs.     

Effect of annealing on the electric and magnetic properties of GaMnAs and Be-codoped GaMnAs

GaMnAs and Be-codoped GaMnAs films grown via molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) were heat treated and the stability of Mn in the matrix was investigated. MnAs had a stable phase at the low growth temperature, but MnGa was stable at the annealing temperature. Be-codoping did not prevent the precipitation processes, but Be itself was stable during the annealing process to maintain the GaAs matrix at the high conductivity.     

Strain-mediated phase coexistence in heteroepitaxial films

We present experimental evidence of the equilibrium coexistence between crystalline phases in heteroepitaxial films of MnAs on GaAs. The phases, which can coexist in the bulk system only at one temperature point, coexist in the epitaxial film over a wide temperature interval. An apparent contradiction with the Gibbs phase rule is resolved by the presence of strain in the film.     

Unforeseen properties of MnAs epilayers grown on GaAs semiconductor

This paper reviews some recent works performed on MnAs/GaAs thin films and other related structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The impact of epitaxy on the magneto-structural properties of MnAs and possible applications of MnAs epilayers are discussed. A brief account of recent results obtained on the magneto-transport in MnAs/GaAs/MnAs magnetic tunnel junctions is also given, highlighting several appealing and promising properties of this system for spintronics applications.     

Structural transformation induced by magnetic field and "colossal-like" magnetoresistance response above 313 K in MnAs

MnAs exhibits a first-order phase transition from a ferromagnetic, high-spin metal hexagonal phase to a paramagnetic, lower-spin insulator orthorhombic phase at T(C)=313 K. Here, we report the results of neutron diffraction experiments showing that an external magnetic field, B, stabilizes the hexagonal phase above T(C). The phase transformation is reversible and constitutes the first demonstration of a bond-breaking transition induced by a magnetic field. The field-induced phase transition is accompanied by an enhanced magnetoresistance of about 17% at 310 K. The phenomenon appears to be similar to that of the colossal magnetoresistance response observed in the Mn [corrected] perovskite family.     

Lattice distortion effects on the magnetostructural phase transition of MnAs

We present a systematic experimental and theoretical study of the first-order phase transition of epitaxially grown MnAs thin films under biaxial tensile stress. Our results give direct information on the dependence of the phase-transition temperature of MnAs films on the lattice parameters. We demonstrate that an increase of the lattice constant in the hexagonal plane raises the phase-transition temperature (T(p)), while an increase of the perpendicular lattice constant lowers T(p). The results of calculations based on density functional theory are in good agreement with the experimental ones. Our findings open exciting prospects for magneto-mechanical devices, where the critical temperature for ferromagnetism can be engineered by external stress.     

Strain engineering of the magnetocaloric effect in MnAs epilayers

By using heteroepitaxy on two different GaAs templates, we have investigated the impact of anisotropic strain on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of MnAs. The temperature range, spread around room temperature, and the maximal MCE position are markedly different in the two epitaxial systems. Simulated MCE curves, obtained from a model based on the mean-field approximation, are in good agreement with the experimental data, indicating that the entropy variation is magnetic in origin. These results illustrate how strain can be used to tune the MCE in materials with coupled structural and magnetic phase transition and suggest that the MCE of MnAs may find applications in microelectronic circuitry.     

Structure-Dependent Magnetoresistance in the Zn<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>Cd<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>GeAs<Subscript>2</Subscript> + MnAs Hybrid Nanocomposite

The effect of high pressure on electron transport and on the field dependence of the transverse magnetoresistance has been studied in a hybrid nanocomposite based on the Zn0.1Cd0.9GeAs2 matrix and MnAs clusters. A record high negative magnetoresistance of ~74% is formed near a pressure-induced structural transition (P≈ 3.5 GPa). The considered scattering mechanisms include both the contribution from MnAs clusters at relatively low pressures (up to 0.7 GPa) and spin-dependent scattering by localized magnetic moments in the Mn-substituted structure of the matrix in the region of the structural transition. The presence of the positive magnetoresistance region associated with the two-band transport model in the high-pressure phase, as well as the large negative magnetoresistance, is described in the framework of the semiempirical Khosla–Fischer expression.     

Semiconductor–Metal Transition in Magnetic Semiconductor Compounds at High Pressure

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics - The magnetic, transport, and magnetotransport properties of ferromagnetic Zn0.1Cd0.9GeAs2 + 10% MnAs and Zn0.1Cd0.9GeAs2 + 15% MnAs nanocomposites...     

Ferromagnetism of compounds with hexagonal symmetry

The concept of strong interaction in the same unit cell is used to establish the possible existence of ferromagnetism in hexagonal Co and manganese compounds: MnAs, MnSb, and MnBi. A phase diagram is constructed for the existence of ferromagnetic ordering and it is established that the Curie temperature depends on the occupancy of the transition-element 3d-shell.     

Micromagnetic analysis of unusual, V-shaped domain transitions in MnAs nanowires

V-shaped domain transitions in α‐MnAs nanowires were investigated by micromagnetic simulations. These rather unusual domain patterns are commonly observed experimentally by surface-sensitive magnetic imaging techniques. It has been speculated that the accompanying inclined domain walls in MnAs are the result of either an exchange biasing effect between ferromagnetic α‐MnAs wires and antiferromagnetic β‐MnAs wires or possibly due to competing exchange mechanisms in MnAs. Here we present evidence that these domain features are in fact transitions between three-dimensional flux-closure domains of opposite chirality and can therefore rule out the involvement of an antiferromagnetic biasing effect or anisotropic exchange. The formation of the energetically unfavorable V-shaped domain transitions is discussed in the context of the magneto-structural phase transition of the sample.     

Pressure-induced colossal magnetocaloric effect in MnAs

To present day, the maximum magnetocaloric effect (MCE) at room temperature for a magnetic field change of 5 T is 40 J/(kg K) for MnAs. In this Letter we present colossal MCE measurements on MnAs under pressure, reaching values up to 267 J/(kg K), far greater than the magnetic limit arising from the assumption of magnetic field independence of the lattice and electronic entropy contributions. The origin of the effect is the contribution to the entropy variation coming from the lattice through the magnetoelastic coupling.     

Optical and magneto-optical spectroscopy of thin composite GaAs-MnAs layers

Ellipsometric and magneto-optical investigations of MnAs layers and GaAs-MnAs composites obtained by laser deposition have been performed in the energy range 1.0–4.5 eV. The spectra of the equatorial Kerr effect (EKE) and the refractive and absorption indices have been studied. Diagonal and off-diagonal components of the dielectric tensor have been calculated. It is established that the shape of the EKE spectra of MnAs layers depends on the crystallographic orientation of these layers. Features near 1.9, 3, and 4 eV are distinguished in the energy dependences of the interband density of states of the layers; these features correspond to the energies of interband d-p transitions, obtained from calculations of the MnAs band structure.