SINGLE-CRYSTAL FE FILMS GROWN ON INAS(100) BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

Thin Fe films have been grown on InAs(100) by molecular beam epitaxy, and studied using in situ magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE), low ener gy electron diffraction (LEED), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM ). Despite the large lattice mismatch between Fe and InAs, the growth of Fe on InAs at 175 degrees C was found to be epitaxial with the orie ntation relationship Fe(100)[001]\\InAs(100)[001], as evidenced by LEE D. STM images indicate that growth proceeds via a 3D Volmer-Weber mode . The magnetic hysteresis loops measured using in situ MOKE show a dis tinct cubic anisotropy with the easy axis along [001], the easy axis o f bulk bcc Fe, which further confirms that well ordered single crystal Fe films have been stabilized on the InAs(100) substrate. Current-vol tage measurements in the temperature range of 2.5-304 K show that Fe f orms an ohmic contact on InAs. We propose that Fe/lnAs is a suitable h eterostructure for magnetoelectronic devices as, unlike Fe/GaAs, there is no Schottky barrier to electron transport. (C) 1998 American Insti tute of Physics.