The Nature of Ferromagnetism in a System of Self-Ordered α-FeSi(2) Nanorods on a Si(111)-4° Vicinal Surface: Experiment and Theory

In this study, the appearance of magnetic moments and ferromagnetism in nanostructures of non-magnetic materials based on silicon and transition metals (such as iron) was considered experimentally and theoretically. An analysis of the related literature shows that for a monolayer iron coating on a vicinal silicon surface with (111) orientation after solid-phase annealing at 450–550 °C, self-ordered two-dimensional islands of α-FeSi(2) displaying superparamagnetic properties are formed. We studied the transition to ferromagnetic properties in a system of α-FeSi(2) nanorods (NRs) in the temperature range of 2–300 K with an increase in the iron coverage to 5.22 monolayers. The structure of the NRs was verified along with distortions in their lattice parameters due to heteroepitaxial growth. The formation of single-domain grains in α-FeSi(2) NRs with a cross-section of 6.6 × 30 nm(2) was confirmed by low-temperature and field studies and FORC (first-order magnetization reversal curves) diagrams. A mechanism for maintaining ferromagnetic properties is proposed. Ab initio calculations in freestanding α-FeSi(2) nanowires revealed the formation of magnetic moments for some surface Fe atoms only at specific facets. The difference in the averaged magnetic moments between theory and experiments can confirm the presence of possible contributions from defects on the surface of the NRs and in the bulk of the α-FeSi(2) NR crystal lattice. The formed α-FeSi(2) NRs with ferromagnetic properties up to 300 K are crucial for spintronic device development within planar silicon technology.