Thin Film Synthesis of Rare Earth and Actinide Nitrides Using Molecular Beam Epitaxy

New nuclear energy paradigms require an in-depth understanding of new fuel and cladding materials. Lanthanide- and actinide-based nitride compounds are an understudied group of materials compared to their oxide counterparts, which provide new avenues for nuclear reactor designs. Their 4<i>f</i> and <i>5f </i>electron shell gives rise to a variety of interesting physics such as unconventional superconductivity. Samarium nitride (SmN) has been recently identified as a material where ferromagnetic order and p-type superconductivity coexist.<br/>Our team will present results on the growth conditions for pure and doped SmN single-crystal thin films using molecular beam epitaxy, and its electronic transport properties as a function of temperature and magnetic field. CeN and UN thin films are also explored. The presence of SmN(111) peaks on (001) substrates indicates an orientation-preference for some material systems. AC magnetic susceptibility studies have shown a range of magnetic behaviors, including paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic. With a potential superconductive transition around ~10 K, SmN and its doping effects on crystal structure and electronic properties are characterized.