Microstructure and atomic configuration of the (001)-oriented surface of epitaxial Ni–Mn–Ga thin films

Abstract

The (001)-oriented surface of epitaxial off-stoichiometric Ni–Mn–Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys was studied in both austenitic and martensitic phases. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging of the austenitic surface reveals a well-ordered and reconstruction-free surface exhibiting predominantly Mn–Ga termination. We found that only one of the two atomic species (Ga or Mn) is visible in STM, which is attributed to a pronounced geometric corrugation of the surface layer. After a transformation of the sample from the initial austenitic phase to the martensitic phase upon a high-temperature annealing step, a thorough investigation of the martensitic surface was conducted. On a larger scale, pronounced corrugation lines arise from the macroscopically twinned surface. A second corrugation feature is found on a distinctly smaller scale and is shown to originate from the modulated nature of the martensitic film structure. The irregularly spaced corrugation lines support the model of adaptive martensites.