Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy and Spin Glass-like Behavior in Molecular Beam Epitaxy Grown Chromium Telluride Thin Films

Anupam Roy; Samaresh Guchhait; Rik Dey; Tanmoy Pramanik; Cheng-Chih Hsieh; Amritesh Rai; Sanjay K Banerjee

doi:10.1021/nn5065716

Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy and Spin Glass-like Behavior in Molecular Beam Epitaxy Grown Chromium Telluride Thin Films

ACS Nano. 2015 Apr 28;9(4):3772-9. doi: 10.1021/nn5065716. Epub 2015 Apr 13.

Authors

Anupam Roy¹, Samaresh Guchhait¹, Rik Dey¹, Tanmoy Pramanik¹, Cheng-Chih Hsieh¹, Amritesh Rai¹, Sanjay K Banerjee¹

Affiliation

¹ Microelectronics Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States.

PMID: 25848950
DOI: 10.1021/nn5065716

Abstract

Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), vibrating sample magnetometry, and other physical property measurements are used to investigate the structure, morphology, magnetic, and magnetotransport properties of (001)-oriented Cr2Te3 thin films grown on Al2O3(0001) and Si(111)-(7×7) surfaces by molecular beam epitaxy. Streaky RHEED patterns indicate flat smooth film growth on both substrates. STM studies show the hexagonal arrangements of surface atoms. Determination of the lattice parameter from the atomically resolved STM image is consistent with the bulk crystal structures. Magnetic measurements show the film is ferromagnetic, having a Curie temperature of about 180 K, and a spin glass-like behavior was observed below 35 K. Magnetotransport measurements show the metallic nature of the film with a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy along the c-axis.

Keywords: chromium telluride; ferromagnetic metal; magnetoresistance; molecular beam epitaxy; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; scanning tunneling microscopy; spin glass.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't