Effect of Laser Fluence on Magnetic Properties of Thin Mn{sub x}Si{sub 1 –} {sub x} (x ≈ 0.5) Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition
Abstract—The effect of laser pulse energy E on the possibility of forming of a homogeneous “high-temperature” ferromagnetic phase in Mn{sub x}Si{sub 1 –} {sub x} (x ≈ 0.5) alloy films grown by pulsed laser deposition onto an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (0001) substrate has been studied. The high-temperature phase with manganese concentration x ≈ 0.53 and the Curie temperature T{sub C} ~ 200–300 K is shown to form near the substrate at the initial stage of the film growth. In this case, high values E ≥ 6.8 J/cm{sup 2} favor the stabilization of this phase over all film thickness, while low values E = 2.6–5.7 J/cm{sup 2} lead to a decrease in the manganese concentration in the upper film layer and the formation of additional “low–temperature” phase with T{sub C} ≈ 30–50 K provided by silicides MnSi and Mn{sub 4}Si{sub 7} crystallites.