Abstract
In this letter, we study the structural and magnetic properties of Ge1−x−ySnxMny films grown on Ge(001) by low temperature molecular beam epitaxy using X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and superconducting quantum interference device. Like in Mn doped Ge films, Mn atoms diffuse during the growth and aggregate into vertically aligned Mn-rich nanocolumns of a few nanometers in diameter. Transmission electron microscopy observations in plane view clearly indicate that the Sn incorporation is not uniform with concentration in Mn rich vertical nanocolumns lower than the detection limit of electron energy loss spectroscopy. The matrix exhibits a GeSn solid solution while there is a Sn-rich GeSn shell around GeMn nanocolumns. The magnetization in Ge1−x−ySnxMny layers is higher than in Ge1−xMnx films. This magnetic moment enhancement in Ge1−x−ySnxMny is probably related to the modification of the electronic structure of Mn atoms in the nanocolumns by the Sn-rich shell, which is formed around the nanocolumns.
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