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

We present our study of (0001) oriented Mn₃Sn (c-Mn₃Sn) thin films synthesized directly on an MgO (111) substrate via molecular beam epitaxy. We identify a growth window where Mn₃Sn 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 Mn₃Sn. The sample featuring a high continuity exhibits defects in some areas but retains the dominant Mn₃Sn structure. This work demonstrates a potential method for synthesizing high crystalline-quality Mn₃Sn films with substantial coverage, facilitating the study of Mn₃Sn films without the influence of an additional buffer layer and promoting their application in integrated spintronics.