X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of Hetero-Interface between Manganese Pnictide and Mn–Zn Ferrite

We have investigated the hetero-interface between MnSb thin films and Mn–Zn ferrite substrates using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The RHEED observations have shown that the mismatch between the MnSb and the Mn–Zn ferrite is fully relaxed at a film thickness of less than 4.3 MLs. XPS analyses have revealed that MnSb grows two-dimensionally from an early stage. We have observed a slight outdiffusion of oxygen from the substrate. The diffusion length of oxygen has turned out to be 50 Å. However, it has also been found that the outdiffusion of Zn and Fe from the Mn–Zn ferrite substrate are negligible.