Microhardness and the Young Modulus of Thin, MBE-Grown, (Sn,Mn)Te Layers Containing up to 8% of Mn
S. Adamiak a, M. Zięba b, R. Minikayev b, A. Reszka b, B. Taliashvili b and W. Szuszkiewicza,b
aFaculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszów, S. Pigonia 1, PL-35310 Rzeszów, Poland
bInstitute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Aleja Lotnikow 32/46, PL-02668 Warsaw, Poland
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The thin layers of (Sn,Mn)Te solid solution were grown by molecular beam epitaxy onto (111)-oriented BaF2 substrates and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction methods. The epitaxial character of the growth was confirmed. All the layers exhibited a regular (fcc) structure of the rock-salt type and were (111)-oriented, their thickness was close to about 1 μ m. The layers contained up to 8% of Mn. The microhardness and the Young modulus values were determined by the nanoindentation measurements. The Berkovich type of the intender was applied, the maximum applied load was equal to 1 mN. The results of measurements demonstrated a lack of the composition dependence of the Young modulus value. A slight increase of the microhardness value with an increasing Mn content in the (Sn,Mn)Te solid solution was observed.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.132.347
PACS numbers: 62.20.de, 62.20.Qp, 68.60.Bs