Epitaxially grown flat MnSi ultrathin film on Si(111)

Flat MnSi ultrathin films are epitaxially grown on the Si(111)- (7 X 7) surface by Mn - deposition and subsequent annealing. Low-energy electron diffraction exhbits the brightest (root 3 X root 3)R30 degrees patterns when Mn atoms are deposited at similar to 3 ML with subsequent annealing at 250 degrees C. Scanning tunneling microscopy shows that atomically flat MnSi(111) surfaces with the (root 3 X root 3)R30 degrees periodicity are formed under above condition, and that the thickness of the flat MnSi films is similar to 7 angstrom. The results support a recent theoretical prediction of flat-film formation of the B20-type MnSi on the Si(111) surface. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.