Structural properties of high-quality sputtered Fe films on Al2O3(1120) and MgO(001) substrates

High-quality thin Fe films were deposited on MgO(001) and Al₂O₃(1120) substrates in the thickness range from 7 to 50 nm. The structural properties have been studied by out-of-plane and in-plane X-ray scattering experiments. From the out-of-plane measurements the electron density profile was determined together with interface and surface roughness parameters. Fe on Al₂O₃ grows along the 110]-direction with a structural coherence length comprising about the total film thick ness and a very small mosaicity. From in-plane scattering experiments a three-domain structure was observed. On MgO(001) substrates Fe grows in the 001]-direction, with the Fe 100]-axis parallel to the MgO 110]-axis. On both substrates, the Fe films exhibit a very small surface and interface roughness, indicative for a high quality of the sputtered samples.