Kinetically-controlled epitaxial growth of Fe${}_3$GeTe${}_2$ van der Waals ferromagnetic films

Abstract

We demonstrate that kinetics play an important role in the epitaxial growth of Fe${}_3$GeTe${}_2$ (FGT) van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnetic films by molecular beam epitaxy. By varying the deposition rate, we control the formation or suppression of an initial tellurium-deficient non-van der Waals phase (Fe${}_3$Ge${}_2$) prior to realizing epitaxial growth of the vdW FGT phase. Using cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy, we optimize the FGT films to have atomically smooth surfaces and abrupt interfaces with the Ge(111) substrate. The magnetic properties of our high quality material are confirmed through magneto-optic, magnetotransport, and spin-polarized STM studies. Importantly, this demonstrates how the interplay of energetics and kinetics can help tune the re-evaporation rate of chalcogen atoms and interdiffusion from the underlayer, which paves the way for future studies of van der Waals epitaxy.

18 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (6)

• Layer-Resolved Magnetic Proximity Effect in van der Waals Heterostructures
• Highly efficient spin-orbit torque and switching of layered ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2
• Imaging the Néel vector switching in the monolayer antiferromagnet MnPSe${}_3$ with strain-controlled Ising order
• Current-driven magnetization switching in a van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2
• Field-free deterministic switching of a perpendicularly polarized magnet using unconventional spin-orbit torques in WTe2
• Room temperature energy-efficient spin-orbit torque switching in wafer-scale all-vdW heterostructure

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Tuning the Curie temperature of a 2D magnet/topological insulator heterostructure to above room temperature by epitaxial growth
• Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study of Epitaxial Fe3GeTe2 Monolayers on Bi2Te3