Effect of Laser Fluence on Magnetic Properties of Thin MnxSi1 – x (x ≈ 0.5) Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Abstract

Abstract—The effect of laser pulse energy E on the possibility of forming of a homogeneous “high-temperature” ferromagnetic phase in Mn_xSi_1 – x (x ≈ 0.5) alloy films grown by pulsed laser deposition onto an Al₂O₃ (0001) substrate has been studied. The high-temperature phase with manganese concentration x ≈ 0.53 and the Curie temperature T_C ~ 200–300 K is shown to form near the substrate at the initial stage of the film growth. In this case, high values E ≥ 6.8 J/cm² favor the stabilization of this phase over all film thickness, while low values E = 2.6–5.7 J/cm² lead to a decrease in the manganese concentration in the upper film layer and the formation of additional “low–temperature” phase with T_C ≈ 30–50 K provided by silicides MnSi and Mn₄Si₇ crystallites.