Structural characterization and anomalous Hall effect of Rh2MnGe thin films

We present the preparation, structural investigations, and transport properties of L21-ordered epitaxial Rh2MnGe Heusler thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. The films grow (1 0 0) oriented on (1 0 0)MgO substrate with [011]Rh2MnGe∥[010]MgO. The rocking curve widths of (4 0 0) reflections are below 1° and decrease with increasing deposition temperature. The flat surface of the thin films allowed lithographic patterning enabling quantitative magnetotransport measurements. We measured resistivity and the Hall effect. We suggest skew scattering as the dominant effect in the temperature dependent anomalous Hall effect, consistent with the theoretically expected skew scattering in the superclean limit. Our findings are in agreement with previously reported small orbital moments in Rh2MnGe bulk material probed by magnetic x-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements.