Laser synthesis of thin MnxSi1-x films (x ~ 0.5) on c- and r-Al2O3 substrates at different laser energy densities at the target

Abstract Thin films of MnxSi1-x (x ~ 0.5) were obtained by pulsed laser deposition in droplet-free mode on c- and r-Al2O3 substrates at different laser energy densities E at the target. Their structural, electrical, and magnetic properties were studied depending on the value of E and the orientation of the substrate. The films are X-ray amorphous on the substrates of both types at E 5.5 J/cm2 the high-temperature ferromagnetic phase shows in the films, and at E ≅ 4 - 5 J/cm2, the low-temperature ferromagnetic phase predominates and there is no influence of the sapphire substrate orientation. The highest Curie temperature TC reached was 330 K at E ≅ 7.4 J/cm2 for the MnxSi1-x films obtained on c- and r-Al2O3. The correlated behavior of the magnetization and the signal of diffuse X-ray radiation scattering confirms the existence of e-MnSi nanocrystallites.