Molecular beam epitaxy of MnAs/ZnSe hybrid ferromagnetic/semiconductor heterostructures

We report the use of molecular beam epitaxy to create hybrid ferromagnetic/semiconductor heterostructures composed of MnAs and ZnSe, with a Curie temperature of 325 K. The presence of a ZnSe buffer layer exclusively stabilizes the type-B orientation of MnAs, in which the ((1) over bar 101)MnAs and (001) ZnSe planes are parallel. Single-phase type-B alpha MnAs/ZnSe heterostructures yield magnetic properties comparable to those reported in the literature for MnAs/GaAs heterostructures. Variations in growth conditions also permit the stabilization of a strained, nonferromagnetic phase that can coexist with the ferromagnetic phase even at room temperature. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)01248-1].