X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy study of swift heavy ion irradiated Mn/p-Si structure

The electronic structure and interfacial chemistry of thin manganese films on p-Si (1 0 0) have been studied by photoelectron spectroscopy measurements using synchrotron radiation of 134 eV and from X-ray diffraction data. The Mn/p-Si structures have been irradiated from swift heavy ions (∼100 MeV) of Fe7+ with a fluence of 1 × 1014 ions/cm2. Evolution of valence band spectrum with a sharp Fermi edge has been obtained. The observed Mn 3d peak has been related to the bonding of Mn 3d–Si 3sp states. Mn 3p (46.4 eV), Mn 3s (81.4 eV) and Si 2p (99.5 eV) core levels have also been observed which show a binding energy shift towards lower side as compared to their corresponding elemental values. From the photoelectron spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction results, Mn5Si3 metallic phase of manganese silicide has been found. The silicide phase has been found to grow on the irradiation.