Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gördes, Jendrik, Janzen, Christian, Vereijken, Arne J., Li, Tingwei, Shinwari, Tauqir, Ehresmann, Arno, Kuch, Wolfgang
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.25618
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866908915810172928
author Gördes, Jendrik
Janzen, Christian
Vereijken, Arne J.
Li, Tingwei
Shinwari, Tauqir
Ehresmann, Arno
Kuch, Wolfgang
author_facet Gördes, Jendrik
Janzen, Christian
Vereijken, Arne J.
Li, Tingwei
Shinwari, Tauqir
Ehresmann, Arno
Kuch, Wolfgang
contents We report on the epitaxial growth of antiferromagnetic Mn2Au on a Nb(001) substrate capped with a pseudomorphic layer of gold. We observe a layer-by-layer growth by means of medium-energy electron diffraction and confirm stoichiometry and surface structure by Auger electron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. Evaporation of 15 ML of ferromagnetic Fe on 12--17 ML of Mn2Au results in an exchange-coupled bilayer system with an exchange-bias shift that can be set by field-cooling from 400 K. Areas with and without exchange bias, with domain sizes in the range of tens of μm, are identified by Kerr microscopy. Postannealing the sample at or above 450 K after Mn2Au layer growth decreases the amount of areas where Fe magnetically couples to Mn2Au. We conclude that exchange coupling to an interfacial Fe layer depends on the interface termination of Mn2Au. Our findings provide insight into the growth process of Mn2Au and the coupling to an Fe layer. Our results point out the importance of growth, interface quality and termination on the magnetic properties of a Mn2Au/Fe bilayer which may help to improve material properties for spintronic applications.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_25618
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Growth and Kerr magnetometry of Mn2Au on a gold-capped Nb(001) substrate
Gördes, Jendrik
Janzen, Christian
Vereijken, Arne J.
Li, Tingwei
Shinwari, Tauqir
Ehresmann, Arno
Kuch, Wolfgang
Materials Science
We report on the epitaxial growth of antiferromagnetic Mn2Au on a Nb(001) substrate capped with a pseudomorphic layer of gold. We observe a layer-by-layer growth by means of medium-energy electron diffraction and confirm stoichiometry and surface structure by Auger electron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. Evaporation of 15 ML of ferromagnetic Fe on 12--17 ML of Mn2Au results in an exchange-coupled bilayer system with an exchange-bias shift that can be set by field-cooling from 400 K. Areas with and without exchange bias, with domain sizes in the range of tens of μm, are identified by Kerr microscopy. Postannealing the sample at or above 450 K after Mn2Au layer growth decreases the amount of areas where Fe magnetically couples to Mn2Au. We conclude that exchange coupling to an interfacial Fe layer depends on the interface termination of Mn2Au. Our findings provide insight into the growth process of Mn2Au and the coupling to an Fe layer. Our results point out the importance of growth, interface quality and termination on the magnetic properties of a Mn2Au/Fe bilayer which may help to improve material properties for spintronic applications.
title Growth and Kerr magnetometry of Mn2Au on a gold-capped Nb(001) substrate
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.25618