Wu, W.-Y., Gao, J., Teo, S. L., Tjiu, W. W., Guo, S. F., Chi, D., Zhu, Q., & Lin, M. (2022). Interface Stability-Controlled Growth of FexGe on Ge (100), (110), and (111) Substrates. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 126(17), 7674–7679. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c00392
Abstract:
The electronic and magnetic properties of materials are
strongly influenced by their surface and interface structures and
configurations. In this work, we have grown FexGe single crystalline islands
on the Ge substrate with three different surfaces, (001) (110), and (111), and
investigated the interface structures between FexGe crystals and Ge
substrates. The FexGe crystals result in two distinct phases on all three Ge
substrates, namely, monoclinic and hexagonal. Using TEM/HRTEM, 3D
rotational electron diffraction, and DFT simulation approaches, we carefully
studied the facet orientation at the interface and explained the coexistence
and formation mechanism of the monoclinic-FeGe and hexagonal-Fe13Ge8.
Although Ge substrates with different orientations were used in the study, our
findings suggest a unique facet preference that all the FexGe crystals tend to grow with Ge {111} epitaxially or endotaxially.
Combining simulation of energy difference on selected facets, lattice mismatch, and the dangling bond density, we derive the
mechanism of such a phenomenon as an interfacial equilibrium driven by the difference of interface energy. Our study provides
valuable information in the FexGe/Ge system and will potentially benefit the future development of FexGe-related electronic/
magnetic devices.
License type:
Publisher Copyright
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the A*STAR - Investigating Spin Topology (Skyrmions)
Grant Reference no. : IMRE/15-2C0410
Acknowledges the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12074053) and XinLiaoYingCai Project of Liaoning province, China (XLYC1907163). Shifeng Guo thanks the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
No.52071332) and the Science and Technology Innovation
Commission of Shenzhen (Grant No. JCYJ 20180507182239617)