Characterization of room temperature ferromagnetic Mn-Si compound synthesized on SiC substrate

Manganese silicide (Mn-Si) related compound with a Curie temperature ( T C ) of 300 K was synthesized on a 4 H - Si C homoepitaxial wafer. Thin Mn layer was deposited on the SiC wafer, and then annealing was performed to diffuse the Mn atoms into the SiC epitaxial layer. Transmission magnetic circular dichroism spectra reflected that of the SiC wafer, although the structural investigations suggested that the dominant phase of the synthesized layer was paramagnetic Mn 5 Si 2 . At this stage, two possible explanations are considered the origin of the observed ferromagnetism. One is that a small amount of carbon (C) incorporated into the Mn 5 Si 2 host induced the ferromagnetic order in Mn 5 Si 2 . On the other hand, the partial formation of a ferromagnetic SiC-related component at the vicinity of the lower side of the interface between SiC and Mn 5 Si 2 layers is considered the other possible explanation.