Rock-salt Type LaSb Epitaxial Thin Film Grown by Multilayer Solid-phase Epitaxy at High Temperature Close to 1000 °C

Rare earth monopnictides with rock-salt structure have been extensively studied due to their versatile magnetic and electronic properties. Their epitaxial thin films are desired to explore further functionalization. However, highly volatile pnictogens have hampered thin film growth at high temperature to realize high crystallinity. Here, we report the growth of LaSb (001) epitaxial thin films by using multilayer solid-phase epitaxy. This method enables thin film growth at high temperature close to 1000 °C, contributing to significantly improved crystallinity. The LaSb epitaxial thin films showed metallic conduction, and the resistivity of 80 µΩ cm at room temperature was comparable to that of LaSb bulk single crystals. LaSb epitaxial thin films were grown at high temperature close to 1000 °C by using multilayer solid phase epitaxy, resulting in significantly improved crystallinity. The LaSb epitaxial thin films showed metallic conduction with the resistivity of 80 µΩ cm at room temperature, comparable to that of LaSb bulk single crystals.