Long-term stability and thickness dependence of magnetism in thin (Cr0.5Mn0.5)2GaC MAX phase films

Abstract

ABSTRACT The thickness dependence and long-term stability of the magnetic properties of epitaxial (Cr0.5Mn0.5)2GaC MAX phase films on MgO (111) were investigated. For 12.5- to 156-nm-thick films, which corresponds to 10–125 c-axis unit cells, samples were found to be phase pure with negligible c-axis lattice strain of less than 10−4\u2009nm even for the thinnest films. No influence of the interface layers on the magnetic anisotropy, the magnetization or the para- to ferromagnetic phase transition was observed. All samples remained stable for more than one year in ambient conditions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT IMPACT STATEMENT The complex temperature- and magnetic field-dependent magnetism of electrically conducting (Cr0.5Mn0.5)2GaC MAX phase films is environmentally robust over one year and independent on interface effects.