TY - JOUR

T1 - Intercalation synthesis of graphene-capped iron silicide atop Ni(111)

T2 - Evolution of electronic structure and ferromagnetic ordering

AU - Grebenyuk, G. S.

AU - Vilkov, O. Yu

AU - Rybkin, A. G.

AU - Gomoyunova, M. V.

AU - Senkovskiy, B. V.

AU - Usachov, D. Yu

AU - Vyalikh, D. V.

AU - Molodtsov, S. L.

AU - Pronin, I. I.

PY - 2017/1/15

Y1 - 2017/1/15

N2 - A new method for synthesis of graphene-protected iron silicides has been tested, which consists in formation of graphene on Ni(111) followed by two-step intercalation of the system with Fe and Si. Characterization of the samples was performed in situ by low-energy electron diffraction, angular-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, core-level photoelectron spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation and magnetic linear dichroism in photoemission of Fe 3p electrons. It is shown, that at 400 °C the intercalation of graphene/Ni(111) with iron occurs in a range up to 14 ML. The graphene layer strongly interacts with the topmost Fe atoms and stabilizes the fcc structure of the film. The in-plane ferromagnetic ordering of the film has a threshold nature and arises after the intercalation of 5 ML Fe due to the thickness-driven spin reorientation transition. Subsequent intercalation of graphene/Fe/Ni(111) with Si leads to the formation of the inhomogeneous system consisted of intercalated and nonintercalated areas. The intercalated islands coalesce at 2 ML Si when a Fe-Si solid solution covered with the Fe3Si surface silicide is formed. The Fe3Si silicide is ferromagnetic and has an ordered (√3 × √3)R30° structure. The graphene layer is weakly electronically coupled to the silicide phase keeping its remarkable properties ready for use.

AB - A new method for synthesis of graphene-protected iron silicides has been tested, which consists in formation of graphene on Ni(111) followed by two-step intercalation of the system with Fe and Si. Characterization of the samples was performed in situ by low-energy electron diffraction, angular-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, core-level photoelectron spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation and magnetic linear dichroism in photoemission of Fe 3p electrons. It is shown, that at 400 °C the intercalation of graphene/Ni(111) with iron occurs in a range up to 14 ML. The graphene layer strongly interacts with the topmost Fe atoms and stabilizes the fcc structure of the film. The in-plane ferromagnetic ordering of the film has a threshold nature and arises after the intercalation of 5 ML Fe due to the thickness-driven spin reorientation transition. Subsequent intercalation of graphene/Fe/Ni(111) with Si leads to the formation of the inhomogeneous system consisted of intercalated and nonintercalated areas. The intercalated islands coalesce at 2 ML Si when a Fe-Si solid solution covered with the Fe3Si surface silicide is formed. The Fe3Si silicide is ferromagnetic and has an ordered (√3 × √3)R30° structure. The graphene layer is weakly electronically coupled to the silicide phase keeping its remarkable properties ready for use.

KW - Ferromagnetic materials

KW - Graphene

KW - Intercalation

KW - Iron silicides

KW - Photoelectron spectroscopy

KW - Thin films

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84988736423&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.09.103

DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.09.103

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84988736423

VL - 392

SP - 715

EP - 722

JO - Applied Surface Science

JF - Applied Surface Science

SN - 0169-4332

ER -