book of abstracts - IM2NP

A B S T R A C T S FRIDAY, JULY 2 N A N O S E A 2 0 1 0
but never becomes perpendicular to the sample surface as being expected for bulk materials. The electrical
measurements have been carried out on Mn5Ge3/Ge(111) diodes, and the I-V characteristics confirm the
Schottky contacts. The barrier heights, which have never been reported for Mn5Ge3/Ge, are sufficient for
spin injection.
3 – Conclusion
Epitaxial Mn5Ge3 films appear to be a unique candidate for spin injection into group IV semiconductors. In
the form of thin films, it is found that Mn5Ge3 is the most stable phase which can be stabilized while in bulk
materials the most stable phase is the anti-ferromagnetic Mn11Ge8. Of particular interest, epitaxial films
with a thickness as high as 180 nm can be obtained, the interface is atomically smooth while the density of
threading dislocations remains relatively low. This feature will be discussed in terms of the formation of
intermediate phases at the interface and/or the nature of the interface bonding.
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