Ordered MgB2 thin films were successfully grown onto Mg(00▪1) via molecular beam epitaxy. By simply depositing B onto the Mg substrate, a maximum film thickness of about 4ML could be achieved. Thicker layers could be obtained by co-deposition or the alternating deposition of Mg and B. Thick films exhibited hexagonal low-energy electron diffraction patterns and the photo-emission and X-ray absorption features which were typical of MgB2.

Ultra-High-Vacuum Epitaxial Growth of MgB2(0001) Thin Films on Mg(0001) via Molecular Beam Epitaxy. R.Macovez, C.Cepek, M.Sancrotti, A.Goldoni, L.Petaccia, R.Larciprete, S.Lizzit: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 2004, 16, S3451-8