Structural and magnetic properties of the molecular beam epitaxy grown MnSb layers on GaAs substrates

The structural and magnetic properties of MnSb layers grown on two differently oriented GaAs substrates are reported. The MnSb compounds grow nonhomogenously both on GaAs (111) B and on GaAs (100) substrates. In x-ray diffraction studies the formation of two epitaxial domains is observed depending on the crystallographic orientation of the substrate. The observed diffusion of Ga atoms from the substrate to the layers results in the formation of an additional Mn-rich cubic phase of GaMnSb. In the case of the (100) oriented substrate, the diffusion of Mn into the substrate was additionally found. Traces of other phases were also noticed. The complex morphology of the layers is found to influence their magnetic properties. Magnetic force microscopy images revealed an inhomogenous distribution of the magnetic force gradient on the surface and the formation of magnetic domains in the samples. X-ray absorption studies of the chemical bonding and local atomic structure around Mn atoms confirmed high structural and chemical disorder in the samples. The chemical bonding of the dominating fraction of Mn atoms is found, however, similar to that in the reference MnSb powder. The x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements reveal an enhanced orbital moment and a reduced spin moment, which is most likely caused by the presence of different phases and a Mn-rich surface in the investigated samples. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3246806]