Structural and hyperfine magnetic properties of Fe3Si thin films grown at low temperature

Fe3Si thin films were prepared in ultrahigh vacuum by codeposition of 57Fe and Si onto various substrates (Si(100), NaCl(100) and KCl(100)) held at 130 K. The structural properties were determined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate that Fe3Si films prepared on substrates with a lattice parameter similar to that of Fe3Si (Si(100) and NaCl(100)) grow in the crystalline disordered B2 structure (with Fe3Si/Si(100)being epitaxial), while Fe3Si films on KCl(100) substrates (with a lattice parameter deviating strongly from that of Fe3Si) grow predominantly in the amorphous structure. The low-T growth of epitaxial Fe3Si/Si(100) films could be an approach for suppression of interfacial interdiffusion in Fe3Si/Si(100) heterostructures for potential magnetoelectronics applications.