Tailoring MBE growth of c-Mn3Sn directly on MgO (111) from islands to film

Abstract We present our study of (0001) oriented Mn 3 Sn (c-Mn 3 Sn) thin films synthesized directly on an MgO (111) substrate via molecular beam epitaxy. We identify a growth window where Mn 3 Sn growth can be controlled through slight adjustments of the Mn flux, achieving either μm²-sized high crystalline-quality islands or an almost completely continuous film. High-resolution X-ray diffraction results indicate that both films are highly (0001) oriented. The atomic resolution images show clear film-substrate interfaces displaying an epitaxial relationship. Scanning precession electron diffraction measurements reveal that the island featured sample has highly crystallized Mn 3 Sn. The sample featuring a high continuity exhibits defects in some areas but retains the dominant Mn 3 Sn structure. This work demonstrates a potential method for synthesizing high crystalline-quality Mn 3 Sn films with substantial coverage, facilitating the study of Mn 3 Sn films without the influence of an additional buffer layer and promoting their application in integrated spintronics.