Far-infrared phonon spectroscopy of Pb1−xMnxTe layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

In this paper we used far-infrared spectroscopy, reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate structural and optical properties of Pb1−xMnxTe layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). A numerical model for calculating the reflectivity coefficient for complex systems which include films, buffer layer and substrate has been applied. The infrared reflectivity spectra consist of Pb1−xMnxTe phonons, which exhibit intermediate one–two mode behavior, and MnTe phonons. A good agreement between calculated and experimental spectra is achieved. We registered the local distribution of Mn impurities depending on substrate type. For films growth on BaF2 substrate we registered the orthorhombic local structure of MnTe clusters, while in the case of KCl substrate this structure is cubic. The Pb1−xMnxTe long wavelength optical phonons were described by the modified Genzel's model.