Role of electrolyte pH on structural and magnetic properties of Co–Fe films

Co–Fe films were electrodeposited on polycrystalline Titanium substrates from the electrolytes with different pH levels. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to study the crystal structure of the films. The XRD patterns showed that the films grown at the pH levels of 3.70 and 3.30 have a mixed phase consisting of face-centred cubic (fcc) and body-centred cubic, while those grown at pH=2.90 have only fcc structure. It was observed that the film composition, by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, contain around 88 at% Co and 12 at% Fe for all films investigated in this study. Morphological observations indicated that all films have grainy structure with the slight change of grain size depending on the electrolyte pH. Magnetoresistance measurements, made at room temperature, showed that all films exhibited anisotropic magnetoresistance, which is affected by the electrolyte pH. From the magnetic measurements made by vibrating sample magnetometer, the saturation magnetization increases as the electrolyte pH decreases. Furthermore, all films have in-plane easy-axis direction of magnetization.     

Geometric and magnetic properties of Co/Pd system

We measured geometric and magnetic properties of Co films on the Pd(1 1 1) surface by X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD), X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) at the Co L_2,3 edge, and the surface magneto-optical Kerr effect (SMOKE) measurements. Co thin films are found to grow incoherently with fcc island structure on the smooth Pd(1 1 1) substrate. Comparison of MCD and SMOKE measurements of Co thin films grown on rough and smooth Pd(1 1 1) surfaces suggests that perpendicular remnant magnetization and Co orbital moment are enhanced by the rough interface. Pd capping layer also induces perpendicular orbital moment enhancement. These observations indicate the influence of hybridization between Co 3d and Pd 4d at the interface on the magnetic anisotropy.     

The effect of annealing temperature on structural and optical properties of undoped and Cu doped CdS thin films

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films were prepared chemical bath deposition technique. The films were doped with copper using the direct method consisting in the addition of a copper salt in the deposition bath of CdS. The doped films were annealed in air, at 250, 300 and 350 °C, for 1 h. The deposition films were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive analysis by X-rays (EDAX) and optical properties of CdS thin films before and after Cu doping. XRD analysis shows that the films are polycrystalline in nature with cubic crystalline structure. The various parameters such as crystallite size, micro strain and dislocation density were evaluated. SEM study shows that the total substrate surface is well covered by uniformly distributed spherical shaped grains. Optical transmittance study shows the presence of direct transition with band gap energy decrease 2.5–2.2 eV.     

Textured Co nanowire arrays with controlled magnetization direction

Textured HCP Co nanowires with preferentially oriented (1 0 0) along the growth direction were fabricated by electrodeposition at high potential. Further increase of deposition potential results in the formation of twist wires with circumferential strain. These conclusions are unambiguously reached by combining TEM, XRD rocking curves and pole figures. The magnetic properties are determined by the combination of magnetocrystalline, shape, and stress anisotropies and magnetostatic interaction. Consequently, the magnetic easy axis can be tuned with structure and temperature, thus paving the road for magnetic nanowire array use in applications where self-biasing of magnetization is necessary.     

Growth and characterization of CoSi2 films on Si (1 0 0) substrates

In the present work, a special solid phase epitaxy method has been adapted for the preparation of CoSi₂ film. This method includes an epitaxial growth of Co films on Si (1 0 0) substrate, and in situ annealing of the Co/Si films in vacuum. It has been found that at the substrate temperature of 360°C, fcc cobalt film grows epitaxially on the Si (1 0 0) surface. The crystallographic orientation relations between fcc Co film and Si substrate determined from the electron diffraction result are: (0 0 1) Co//(0 0 1) Si, [1 0 0] Co//[1 1 0]Si. Upon annealing at temperatures range from 500 to 600°C, Co film reacts with Si substrate and transforms into CoSi₂. The CoSi₂ films prepared by this way are characterized by XTEM, XPS and AFM.     

Electrochemical reactions of lithium with transition metal stannides

High-quality crystalline MSn₂ (M = Cr and Co) thin films have been successfully fabricated by reactive pulsed laser deposition. The physical and electrochemical properties of the as-deposited thin films have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), galvanostatic cycling and cyclic voltammetry (CV). XRD measurement indicates that the as-deposited thin films prepared at 400 °C consisted mainly of MSn₂ (M = Cr and Co) with a small quantity of metal tin. The specific reversible capacities of CrSn₂ and CoSn₂ thin film electrodes are found to be 467 mA h/g and 465 mA h/g, respectively. A mechanism involving an irreversible decomposition of MSn₂ (M = Cr and Co) and a classical alloying process of Sn is proposed. MSn₂ (M = Cr and Co) as the starting anode materials for conversion to the Li–Sn alloy can improve its electrochemical performance with high reversible capacity and good stable cycle.     

Giant magnetoresistance in Cu–Co films electrodeposited on n-Si

High quality Cu–Co alloy films with excellent metallic luster have been electrolytically deposited directly onto n-Si (1 0 0) substrate, thereby eliminating the need of a conducting seed layer, which is otherwise required when the films were grown on insulating substrates (Al₂O₃). The as-deposited Cu–Co films exhibit relatively higher magnetoresistance (MR) in comparison with the as-deposited films on Al₂O₃ under identical conditions. The observed increase in MR could be attributed to the reduced substrate current shunting. The MR further improves to 2.67% (at H=10 kOe) with vacuum annealing (at 425°C for 30 min) of the films on Si. This has been ascribed to the separation of Cu and Co phases resulting in a magnetic granular nanostructure. This value of MR of annealed films on Si is, however, lower in comparison with the value obtained for annealed films deposited on Al₂O₃. Glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) has revealed the formation of copper silicide in these samples, which is responsible for the lower value of MR. Thus we have observed good MR with a copper silicide host matrix.     

Face centered cubic cobalt layer on Au(1 1 1): a magneto-optical study

It has been recently shown that Co can grow epitaxially on an Au(1 1 1) layer with a face centered cubic (FCC) structure, the Co[1 1 1] and Au[1 1 1] axes being oriented along each other. First magneto-optical studies of the FCC Co film structure are reported here. The differences in magnetic behavior for FCC and HCP-type Co films as a function of the layer thickness are underlined and interpreted in the framework of a phenomenological model.     

High-field discontinuity in the magnetisation of SmCo3Cu2 and SmCo2.5Cu2.5

An unusual jump from low to high magnetisation in increasing applied field is observed in isotropic bulk Sm(CoCu)₅ between 30 K and close to the Curie temperature. Clear hysteretic behaviour is detected in the magnetisation curves during a cycle of increasing and decreasing field. No anomaly appears in the magnetisation, if a field is applied along the magnetically easy axis in aligned powder and also in some as-cast bulk samples. Contrary to the discontinuity observed on RCo₅ compounds with R atoms as Th and Ce, the critical field, where the transition occurs, increases with decreasing temperature. Therefore, the origin of the discontinuity is discussed in terms of an onset of a non-collinear magnetic structure.     

Magnetic properties of Co–Cu nanowire arrays fabricated in different conditions by SC electrodeposition

Magnetic Co–Cu alloy nanowires with low Cu content were prepared by SC electrodeposition in pores of anodic aluminum oxide templates. The as-deposited Co–Cu nanowires, with a diameter of 15 nm, show distinctive magnetic anisotropy as an applied magnetic field parallel to the axis of nanowires. With increase in the molar ratio of Co and Cu, the coercivity along nanowire axis increases and reaches a maximum value of 1977.5 Oe at the Co/Cu molar ratio of 60:1, but the maximum value of coercivity increases to 1743.6 Oe with the decrease of frequency to 2 Hz.     

Nonlinear optical properties of CdxZn1 − xO films deposited with PLD technique

In this paper, the structural and optical properties of Cd_xZn_1 ? xO films were studied. The films were deposited with pulse laser deposition (PLD) technique. The Cd concentration changed in the range from x = 0 to 0.2. The structure of the films was characterized by atom force microscope (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The nonlinear optical properties were investigated by Z-scan methods. The two-photon absorption (TPA) coefficient β_eff was measured. The β_eff value changes from 49.2 cm/GW to 116.5 cm/GW with the Cd concentration from 0 to 15%.     

High resolution measurement and modelling of magnetic domain structures in epitaxial FePd (0 0 1) L10 films with perpendicular magnetisation

Magnetic domain structures in two 50 nm thick chemically-ordered FePd (0 0 1) epitaxial films with different perpendicular anisotropies have been studied using Lorentz microscopy. Domain and domain wall structures vary significantly according to the magnitude of the anisotropy. For lower anisotropy films, a stripe domain structure with a period of ≈100 nm is formed in which there is a near-continuous variation in orientation of the magnetisation vector. By contrast, in the film with higher anisotropy, a maze-like domain structure is supported. The magnetisation within domains is perpendicular to the film plane and adjacent domains are separated by narrow walls, less than 20 nm wide. Micromagnetic modelling is generally in good quantitative agreement with experimental observations and provides additional information on the domain wall structure.     

Enhanced superconducting properties in epitaxial FeSe thin films with self-assembled Fe3O4 nanoparticles

In this paper we report epitaxial tetragonal iron selenide thin films grown on single crystal SrTiO₃ (STO) (0 0 1) and MgO (0 0 1) substrates by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Deposition temperature and annealing process are found to be critical for achieving the tetragonal phase and the optimum superconducting properties of the films. The critical transition temperature of the thin films ranges from 2 K to 11.5 K depending on the deposition temperature and annealing condition. The samples with higher critical transition temperatures show better film crystallinity along with self-assembled Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (～15 nm in average particle size) in the films according to both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Besides the better crystallinity achieved in the films, the formation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles could assist the formation of the tetragonal FeSe phase and thus lead to the enhanced superconducting properties.     

Stacking faults in ultra-thin films of silver on Al(111) investigated by medium energy ion scattering

Medium energy ion scattering has been used to investigate depositions of 0.2, 1.4, 3.5 and 4.8 ML of silver onto Al(111). Energy profiles indicate alloying to the extent that aluminium is still visible after the deposition of 4.8 ML. From assessments of the visibility, blocking dips and fits using VEGAS simulations it is shown that the first two layers continue the fcc stacking but after that hcp and fcc twin-type stacking faults occur. The 1.4 ML structure is consistent with a mixed structure of 85% fcc and 15% hcp indicating that some silver occupies a third layer. The blocking curve from the structure formed by 3.5 ML equivalent deposition can be simulated by 56% fcc, 32% hcp and 12% fcc twin and that from 4.8 ML by 59% fcc, 23% hcp and 18% fcc twin. This provides direct evidence of the incidence of hcp stacking when silver is deposited onto Al(111) in the range between 2 and 5 ML.     

Structural and magnetic properties of BCC Fe/Co (0 0 1) superlattices

In thin layered Fe/Co (0 0 1), grown on MgO (0 0 1), both Fe and Co crystallize in the body-centered cubic (BCC) structure, as seen in a series of superlattices where the layer thickness of the components is varied from two to twelve atomic monolayers. These superlattices have novel magnetic properties as observed by magnetization and polarized neutron reflectivity measurements. There is a significant enhancement of the magnetic moments of both Fe and Co at the interfaces. Furthermore, the easy axis of the system changes from [1 0 0] for films of low cobalt content to [1 1 0] for a Co content exceeding 33%. No indication of a uniaxial anisotropy component is found in any of the samples. The first anisotropy constant (K₁) of BCC Co is found to be negative with an estimated magnitude of 110 kJ/m³ at 10 K. In all cases, the magnetic moments of Fe and Co have parallel alignment.     

Growth-induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and clustering in NixPt1−x alloys

Polycrystalline and epitaxial (1 0 0), (1 1 0), and (1 1 1)-oriented Ni₃Pt, NiPt, and NiPt₃ films were deposited over a range of growth temperatures from 80°C to 700°C. Films grown at moderate temperatures (200–400°C) exhibit growth-induced properties similar to Co–Pt alloys: enhanced and broadened Curie temperature, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and large coercivity. As in Co–Pt, the magnetic properties suggest a clustering of Ni into platelets on the growth surface, as the films are being grown. Unlike Co–Pt, however, NiPt films exhibit a strong orientational dependence of anisotropy and enhanced Curie temperature, possibly resulting from different types of surface reconstructions which affect the growth surface.     

Thin films of molecule-based charge transfer complex cobalt tetracyanoethylene: In situ X-ray photoemission study

Thin films of molecule-based charge transfer magnet, cobalt tetracyanoethylene [Co(TCNE)_x, x ~ 2] consisting of the transition metal Co, and an organic molecule viz. tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) have been deposited by using physical vapor deposition method under ultra-high vacuum conditions at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique has been used extensively to investigate the electronic properties of the Co(TCNE)_x thin films. The XPS measurements show that the prepared Co(TCNE)_x films are clean, and oxygen free. The stoichiometries of the films, based on atomic sensitive factors, are obtained, and yields a ~ 1:2 ratio between metal Co and TCNE for all films. Interestingly, the positive shift of binding energy position for Co(2p), and negative shifts for C(1s) and N(1s) peaks suggest a charge-transfer from Co to TCNE, and cobalt is assigned to its Co(II) valence state. In the valence band investigation, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of Co(TCNE)_x is found to be at ~ 2.4 eV with respect to the Fermi level, and it is derived either from the TCNE^? singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) or Co(3d) states. The peaks located at ~ 6.8 eV and ~ 8.8 eV are due to TCNE derived electronic states. The obtained core level and valence band results of Co(TCNE)_x, films are compared with those of V(TCNE)_x thin film magnet: a well known system of M(TCNE)_x type of organic magnet, and important points regarding their electronic properties have been brought out.     

Factors affecting the electro-optical and structural characteristics of nano crystalline Cu doped (Cd–Zn)S films

This work investigates the effects of the temperature, deposition time and annealing ambient on the electro-optical and structural properties of nano crystalline (Cd–Zn)S films prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD). The deposited films being uniform and adherent to the glass substrates are amorphous in nature and the crystallinity as well as the grain size is found to increase on post-deposition annealing. The obtained specimens are thoroughly characterized before and after annealing paying particular attention to their structure, composition and morphology. Annealing in air reduces the extent of disorder in grain boundaries and energy band-gap. A correlation between the structural and optical properties is investigated in detail. The surface morphology and structural properties of the as-deposited and annealed (Cd–Zn)S thin films are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical transmission spectra. The optical transmission spectra are recorded within the range of 300–800 nm and 300–900 nm. The electroluminescent (EL) intensity is found to be maximum at a particular temperature, which decreases with further increase in temperature and peaks of photoluminescent (PL) and EL spectra are centered at 546 nm and 592 nm. The emission intensity also increases with increasing thickness of the film.     

Effect of nitrogen partial pressure on Al–Ti–N films deposited by arc ion plating

AlTiN films with different nitrogen partial pressures were deposited using arc ion plating (AIP) technique. In this study, we systematically investigated the effect of the nitrogen partial pressure on composition, deposition efficiency, microstructure, macroparticles (MPs), hardness and adhesion strength of the AlTiN films. The results showed that with increasing the nitrogen partial pressure, the deposition rate exhibited a maximum at 1.2 Pa. Results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that AlTiN films were comprised of Ti–N and Al–N bonds. XRD results showed that the films exhibited a (1 1 1) preferred growth, and AlTi₃N and TiAl_x phases were observed in the film deposited at 1.7 Pa. Analysis of MPs statistics showed MPs decreased with the increase in the nitrogen partial pressure. In addition, the film deposited at 1.2 Pa possessed the maximum hardness of 38 GPa and the better adhesion strength.     

Vortex lattice matching effects in a washboard pinning potential induced by Co nanostripe arrays

An advanced mask-less nanofabrication technique, focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID), has been employed on epitaxial Nb thin films to prepare ferromagnetic decorations in the form of an array of Co stripes. These substantially modify the non-patterned films’ superconducting properties, providing a washboard-like pinning potential landscape for the vortex motion. At small magnetic fields B ? 0.1 T, vortex lattice matching effects have been investigated by magneto-transport measurements. Step-like drops in the field dependencies of the films resistivity ρ(B) have been observed in particular for the vortex motion perpendicular to the Co stripes. The field values, corresponding to the middle points of these drops in ρ(B), meet the vortex lattice parameter matching the pinning structure’s period. These disagree with the results of Jaque et al. (2002) [11], who observed matching effects corresponding to the stripe width in Nb films grown on periodically distributed submicrometric lines of Ni.