Ferromagnetic MnSn monolayer epitaxially grown on silicon substrate

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials have been exhibiting promising potential in applications, such as spintronics devices. To grow epitaxial magnetic films on silicon substrate, in the single-layer limit, is practically important but challenging. In this study, we realized the epitaxial growth of MnSn monolayer on Si(111) substrate, with an atomically thin Sn/Si(111)-$2\sqrt{3}\times 2\sqrt{3}$- buffer layer, and controlled the MnSn thickness with atomic-layer precision. We discovered the ferromagnetism in MnSn monolayer with the Curie temperature (Tc) of ~54 K. As the MnSn film is grown to 4 monolayers, Tc increases accordingly to ~235 K. The lattice of the epitaxial MnSn monolayer as well as the Sn/Si(111)-$2\sqrt{3}\times 2\sqrt{3}$ is perfectly compatible with silicon, and thus an sharp interface is formed between MnSn, Sn and Si. This system provides a new platform for exploring the 2D ferromagnetism, integrating magnetic monolayers into silicon-based technology, and engineering the spintronics heterostructures.

12 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Chin. Phys. Lett. (Express Letters)

References in corpus (4)

• Observation of Majorana Fermions in Ferromagnetic Atomic Chains on a Superconductor
• Atomic-scale control of graphene magnetism using hydrogen atoms
• Room-temperature ferromagnetism in graphite driven by 2D networks of point defects
• Proximity-induced ferromagnetism in graphene revealed by anomalous Hall effect

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Tunable magneto-optical effect, anomalous Hall effect and anomalous Nernst effect in two-dimensional room-temperature ferromagnet $1T$-CrTe${}_2$