A Nanolaminated Magnetic Phase: Mn2GaC

• Layered magnetic materials are fascinating from the point of view of fundamental science as well as applications. Discoveries such as giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in magnetic multilayers have revolutionized data storage and magnetic recording, and concurrently initiated the search for new layered magnetic materials. One group of inherently nanolaminated compounds are the so called Mn+1AXn (MAX) phases. Due to the large number of isostructural compositions, researchers are exploring the wide range of interesting properties, and not primarily functionalization through optimization of structural quality. Magnetic MAX phases have been discussed in the literature, though this is hitherto an unreported phenomenon. However, such materials would be highly interesting, based on the attractive and useful properties attained with layered magnetic materials to date. Here we present a new MAX phase, (Cr1–xMnx)2GeC, synthesized as thin film in heteroepitaxial form, showing single crystal material with unprecedented structural MAX phase quality. The material was identified using first-principles calculations to study stability of hypothetical MAX phases, in an eort to identify a potentially magnetic material. The theory predicts a variety of magnetic behavior depending on the Mn concentration and Cr/Mn atomic conguration within the sublattice. The analyzed thin films display a magnetic signal well above room temperature and with partly ferromagnetic ordering. These very promising results open up a field of new layered magnetic materials, with high potential for electronics and spintronics applications.

Nyckelord

MAX phases

sputtering

transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

ab initio calculation

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