Surface oxidation in a van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3-xGeTe2

Abstract

We investigate the surface oxidation in a van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3-xGeTe2, a material widely utilized for spintronic applications. While known for its relative air-insensitivity, exposure to air during the handling process (e.g. device or heterostructure fabrication) can lead to reduction or disappearance of its magnetic signal. Comparison of x-ray absorption and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectra between pristine and air-exposed Fe3-xGeTe2 confirm a naturally oxidized surface layer on the material. The surface oxide layer has predominantly Fe3+ content. X-ray absorption spectroscopy done on micron-sized exfoliated Fe3-xGeTe2 flakes reveal that the change in the surface chemical properties can be quite significant for thin flakes. The surface modulation of Fe3- xGeTe2 can lead to inaccuracies in characterizing its interfacial magnetic and spin transport properties, and complicate device and heterostructure fabrication processes.