Manganese silicide single crystal and films deposited on Si(1 1 1): A comparative spectroscopic study

Abstract

A comparative experimental study is presented of the electronic properties of MnSi films grown on Si(1 1 1) and of MnSi single crystals, using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and core level and valence band photoemission spectroscopy (PES). No significant differences in the electronic structure of the two systems can be found. Absorption measurements on the Mn 2p threshold show a mixed valence ground state, where the multiplet structure is washed out by the hybridisation of the Mn 3d states with the Si sp states. These results are also confirmed by photoemission (PE) spectra from the valence band and the Mn 3s, 3p and 2p core levels. Strong attention has been paid to the effect of contamination. The occurrence of multiplet effects in the absorption spectra indicates unambiguously the localisation of the Mn 3d electrons in Mn–O bonds, which strongly influences the electronic properties of these systems.