Rajesh Dutta, Christopher J Jensen, Tarush Tandon, Prajwal M Laxmeesha, Alexander Velič, Murat Tuna Pamuk, Chuqiao Shi, Yu-Tsun Shao, Timothy R Charlton, Jochen Stahn, Alexander J Grutter, Julie A Borchers, Steven J May
We reveal the presence of robust ferromagnetism in topological kagome (Fe3Sn2/CoSn)×n superlattices via polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR) and magnetization measurements. Using molecular beam epitaxy, we have synthesized superlattices of alternating ferromagnetic Fe3Sn2 and paramagnetic CoSn layers, the interfacial integrity of which is confirmed using scanning transmission electron microscopy. Magnetization depth profiles, obtained by fitting the PNR data, confirm the presence of ferromagnetism in the confined Fe3Sn2 layers at room temperature, with minimal thickness dependence down to 2 nm. A net magnetization is found in the near-surface region of CoSn, which we attribute to surface oxidation. Our results demonstrate that superlattice engineering is a means to confine ferromagnetism in kagome metals, enabling future studies of thickness-dependent anomalous Hall and Nernst effects as well as spin-dependent transport and tunneling in device structures.