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Magnetic shape memory alloys exhibit various multifunctional properties, which range from high stroke actuation and magnetocaloric refrigeration to thermomagnetic energy harvesting. Most of these applications benefit from miniaturization and a single crystalline state. Epitaxial film growth is so far only possible on some oxidic substrates, but they are expensive and incompatible with standard microsystem technologies. Here, we demonstrate epitaxial growth of Ni-Mn-based Heusler alloys with single crystal-like properties on silicon substrates by using a SrTiO3 buffer. We show that this allows using standard microfabrication technologies to prepare partly freestanding patterns. Our approach is versatile, as we demonstrate its applicability for the NiTi shape memory alloy and discuss for spintronic and thermoelectric Heusler alloys. This paves the way for integrating additional multifunctional effects into state-of-the-art microelectronic and micromechanical technology, which is based on silicon.

Magnetic shape memory alloys exhibit various multifunctional properties, which range from high stroke actuation and magnetocaloric refrigeration to thermomagnetic energy harvesting. Most of these applications benefit from miniaturization and a single crystalline state. Epitaxial film growth is so far only possible on some oxidic substrates, but they are expensive and incompatible with standard microsystem technologies. Here, we demonstrate epitaxial growth of Ni-Mn-based Heusler alloys with single crystal-like properties on silicon substrates by using a SrTiO3 buffer. We show that this allows using standard microfabrication technologies to prepare partly freestanding patterns. Our approach is versatile, as we demonstrate its applicability for the NiTi shape memory alloy and discuss for spintronic and thermoelectric Heusler alloys. This paves the way for integrating additional multifunctional effects into state-of-the-art microelectronic and micromechanical technology, which is based on silicon.

During cooling, conventional martensitic transformation can only be realized from austenite to martensite. Recently, a so-called reentrant martensitic transformation obtained much interest due to an additional transformation from martensite to austenite during further cooling. Obviously, materials with this reentrant transformation will increase the number of physical effects and possible applications. However, until now, only bulk samples are reported available, which are not suitable for applications in micro-devices. In this work, ferromagnetic Co-Cr-Ga-Si films were selected as a model system to explore the reentrant transformation behavior in thin films. We observed that the films grow epitaxially on MgO (100) substrates and exhibit a martensitic transformation if deposited at a sufficiently high temperature or with an additional heat treatment. Film within the austenite state are ferromagnetic while films within the martensitic state just exhibit a very low ferromagnetism order.

Measured raw data (XRD, texture, SEM, PPMS and EDX)

Raw data of a paper done by Yuru Ge. The paper title is finally signed as: Growth and Martensitic Transformation of Ferromagnetic Co-Cr-Ga-Si Epitaxial Films. The authors are Yuru Ge, Klara Lünser, Fabian Ganss, Peter Gaal, Lukas Fink,and Sebastian Fähler. This is the final version which is accepted by the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials on 07.08.2023