Magnetic surface anisotropy of transition metal ultrathin films

In order to study the magnetic anisotropy of transition metal ultrathin films, we have performed tight-binding calculations including spin-orbit coupling. Beside the anisotropy energy these calculations also yield the orbital moment, which turns out to be much more anisotropic than in bulk materials. The effects of interfacial mismatch and roughness are discussed within phenomenological models. We also briefly review experimental results on the magnetic surface anisotropy (MSA) in transition metal ultrathin films. In some cases such as Au/Co/Au(111) sandwiches the MSA wins the competition with the shape anisotropy arising from the magnetostatic energy: below a critical thickness this leads to aperpendicular spontaneous magnetization. We show the effects of this crossover on the hysteresis loops and on the magnetoresistance, and the effects of interface roughness on the critical thickness.     

Current-in-plane giant magnetoresistance: The effect of interface roughness and spin-depolarization due to the proximity of a buffer layer

We report on proximity effects of a Au buffer layer on the current-in-plane giant magnetoresistance effect (CIP-GMR) in high-quality, epitaxial Fe/Cr/Fe(001) trilayers. The lower Fe layer is grown in the shape of a wedge and allows simultaneous preparation of 24 GMR stripe-elements with different lower Fe thicknesses in the range from 13 to 14.5 ML. The layer-by-layer growth mode in combination with the small thickness variation gives rise to: (i) well-controlled roughness changes from stripe to stripe as confirmed by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), and (ii) to a varying influence of the underlying Au buffer. The oscillatory roughness variation along the wedge yields an oscillatory GMR behavior as a function of Fe thickness and confirms the previous result that slightly increased interface roughness causes a higher GMR ratio. The proximity of the Au buffer to the GMR trilayer results in an increase of the GMR ratio with increasing Fe thickness. The latter effect is explained by spin-depolarization at the Fe/Au interface and in the bulk of the Au buffer.     

Effect of Interface Roughness on Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy of Fe/Tb Multilayers

Fe/Tb multilayers have been prepared which exhibit significant perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) even at RT. The effect of systematic variation in the interface roughness on PMA has been studied in these multilayers which were deposited simultaneously on a set of float glass substrates prepared with varying root mean square surface roughness. The amount of intermixing at the interfaces and uncorrelated part of the interface roughness of different multilayers remain similar, thus allowing one to separate out the effect of the correlated interface roughness only. X-ray reflectivity and conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry was used to characterise the systems. PMA was found to depend weakly on the correlated interface roughness.     

Effects of Interface Roughness on Interlayer Coupling in Fe/Cr/Fe Structure

Effect of interface roughness on antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe layers in a Fe/Cr/Fe trilayer, with Cr layer having a wedge form has been studied. All the samples have been deposited simultaneously on substrates having different roughness, thus it is being considered that there is no variation in the morphological features like grain size and grain texture of the films. Measurements have been done as a function of Cr spacer layer thickness and the peak value of antiferromagnetic coupling strength is compared among different trilayers, thus any influence of spacer layer thickness fluctuation from sample to sample has also been avoided. The samples are characterized by X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE). XRR results show that the roughness of the substrate is not replicated at the successive interfaces. Antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe layers decreases with the increase of roughness of Fe/Cr/Fe interfaces.     

用椭偏术研究与接触介质有关的贵金属的介电函数

为了研究接触介质对金属光学性质的影响，实验中使用具有不同折射率的梯形棱镜作为衬底，将金和银蒸发到棱镜底部，用椭偏术分别测量了薄膜在金属-空气、金属-衬底界面的介电函数.结果表明：无论在Drude区，还是在带间跃迁区，金属-衬底界面处薄膜介电函数不仅与金属-空气界面处的测量值不同，而且随衬底折射率改变而改变.在固体接触条件下获得的结果与其他作者在液体接触条件下获得的结果相一致，但尚难被现有机制所解释. 关键词：     

Gold at the Si(111)-Pd interface; modification of atomic interdiffusion

We present the results of an angle integrated photoemission (hv = 21.2eV) and Auger investigation of the effect of Au interlayers on the growth of the Si(111)-Pd interface. Gold does not remain totally blocked at the interface with increasing amounts of deposited Pd. As a consequence the same amount of Au (around 6 monolayers) acts as a promotor of Si-Pd mixing at low Pd coverages (below about 8 monolayers) and as an inhibitor at higher Pd coverages. The effect is dependent on the amount of Au so that Au at 10 monolayers is an inhibitor independent of the Pd coverage. The implications on the interface growth mechanism are discussed.     

Magnetic properties of Co films deposited onto obliquely sputtered Ta underlayers

Gold-capped Co films deposited on obliquely sputtered Ta underlayers have produced coercivities in excess of 400 Oe, and anisotropy fields of 800 Oe. The coercivity increases with Ta deposition angle and thickness. The coercivity and anisotropy can be increased further to values >600 and 900 Oe, respectively, by replacing the Au capping layer with Cu. Films with an obliquely deposited underlayer exhibit a reduced density and an increased interface roughness compared to normally deposited films. The trilayers fabricated in this study show promising results for use in giant magnetoresistance sensors.     

磁控溅射沉积铝/贫铀与金/贫铀镀层的界面研究

采用磁控溅射技术沉积制铝/贫铀/铝(Al/DU/Al)、金/贫铀/金(Au/DU/Au) "三明治" 薄膜样品. 利用高分辨扫描电镜、 X射线衍射仪、X射线光电子能谱仪、 扫描俄歇微探针对Al/DU/Al, Au/DU/Au样品的Al/DU, Au/DU界面行为进行表征与研究. 结果表明: 沉积态DU层以柱状晶生长; Al/DU界面扩散明显, 物理扩散过程中伴随着Al, DU化学反应形成Al₂U, Al₃U金属化合物; 金属化合物的形成导致界面处Al 2p电子结合能向高能端移动, U 4f电子向低能端移动; 微量O在Al/DU界面处以Al₂O₃及铀氧化物形式存在; DU镀层中以铀氧化形式存在; 沉积态的Au/DU界面扩散为简单的物理扩散, 团簇效应导致Au/DU界面处Al 2p, U 4f电子结合能均向高能端移动; 在Au/DU界面及DU镀层中, 微量O以铀氧化物形式存在; Al/DU界面扩散强于Au/DU; 相同厚度的Al, Au保护镀层, Al镀层保护效果优于Au镀层. 关键词： Al/DU界面 Au/DU界面 磁控溅射 界面扩散     

Design,fabrication and characterization of the X-ray supermirrors

With the development of the multiplayer technology, the multilayer mirrors have been widely used in many fields, such as the soft X-ray astronomical telescope, soft X-ray microscopy, extreme ultraviolet lithography, applications of synchrotron radiation, plasma diagnosis, and so on. However, in the hard X-ray region, especially for the wavelength shorter than 0.1 nm, the optical elements based on the traditional multilayers or the single high-Z metal coatings cannot accommodate the advancemen…     

Diffusion behavior of transition metals in field-assisted ion-exchanged glasses

The use of ion-exchange techniques for doping silicate glasses with transition metals has attracted much attention in the last decades for its potential in several applications, namely, light waveguides technology, luminescent materials, and for the possibility to realize systems in which metal nanocluster formation is controlled by suitable post-exchange techniques. In this framework, the control of metal distribution inside the glass is a central issue for both the understanding of the incorporation process and for the definition of effective preparation protocols. In this experiment, metallic films (Ag, Cu, Au, Co) were deposited onto the substrates by the rf-sputtering technique. Metal ions then penetrate to substitute glass alkali by means of field-assisted ion-exchange, realized at different temperature and electric field values. In particular, we present in this paper the Au doping of silicate glasses, successfully realized for the first time with this method. The gold diffusion profiles, as measured by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), indicate that the migration depends on the experimental parameters (temperature and electric field), but also on the local structure, as well as on chemical phenomena occurring at the metal/glass interface.     

不同沉积参量下ZrO2薄膜的微结构和激光损伤阈值

ZrO2采用X射线衍射(XRD)技术分析了不同充氧条件和沉积温度对ZrO2溥膜组成结构的影响,并对不同工艺下制备的薄膜的表面粗糙度和激光损伤阈值进行了测量。结果发现随着氧压的升高,ZrO2溥膜将由单斜相多晶态逐渐转变为非晶态结构,而随着基片温度的增加,溥膜将由非晶态逐渐转变为单斜相多晶态。同时发现随着氧压升高晶粒尺寸减小,而随着沉积温度增加,晶粒尺寸增大。氧压增加时工艺对表面粗糙度有一定程度的改善,而沉积温度升高,工艺对表面粗糙度的改善不明显。晶粒尺寸大小变化与表面粗糙度变化存在对应关系。激光损伤测量表明,氧压条件和沉积温度对ZrO2薄膜的抗激光损伤能力有着较大影响。     

A study of the interface roughness effect in Si nanowires using a full 3D NEGF approach

The effect of interface roughness in ballistic Si nanowires is investigated using a full 3D non-equilibrium Green's Functions formalism. The current density, the electron density and the transmission function are calculated for nanowires with different interface roughness configurations. Interface roughness is randomly generated using an exponential autocorrelation function. The interface roughness profile in nanowires with 2 nm diameter and 6 nm length is reflected in the current density landscape showing macroscopic 3D patterns. These macroscopic patterns affect the transmission probability causing resonances coming from the constrictions in the channel. The shape of the electron density in cross-sections along the wire follows the distortion of electron transversal wave function.     

Electrochemical functionalisation of SWNTs with poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) evidenced by anti‐Stokes/Stokes Raman spectroscopy

The capability of anti‐Stokes/Stokes Raman spectroscopy to evaluate chemical interactions at the interface of a conducting polymer/carbon nanotubes is demonstrated. Electrochemical polymerisation of the monomer 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) on a Au support covered with a single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) film immersed in a LiClO₄/CH₃CN solution was carried out. At the resonant optical excitation, which occurs when the energy of the exciting light coincides with the energy of an electronic transition, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) deposited electrochemically as a thin film of nanometric thickness on a rough Au support presents an abnormally intense anti‐Stokes Raman spectrum. The additional increase in Raman intensity in the anti‐Stokes branch observed when PEDOT is deposited on SWNTs is interpreted as resulting from the excitation of plasmons in the metallic nanotubes. A covalent functionalisation of SWNTs with PEDOT both in un‐doped and doped states takes place when the electropolymerisation of EDOT, with stopping at +1.6 V versus Ag/Ag⁺, is performed on a SWNT film deposited on a Au plate. The presence of PEDOT covalently functionalised SWNTs is rationalised by (1) a downshift by a few wavenumbers of the polymer Raman line associated with the symmetric C C stretching mode and (2) an upshift of the radial breathing modes of SWNTs, both variations revealing an interaction between SWNTs and the conjugated polymer. Raman studies performed at different excitation wavelengths indicate that the resonant optical excitation is the key condition to observe the abnormal anti‐Stokes Raman effect. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics of coherent transverse optical phonon in CuI thin films on Au nano-films

We have investigated the coherent phonon in CuI thin films deposited on Au films with nanoscale roughness. It is found that the coherent transverse optical (TO) phonon in the CuI thin film on the Au film is dramatically enhanced, whereas that in the CuI thin film without the Au film is hardly observed. The enhancement of the coherent TO phonon in the CuI thin film on the Au film will originate from the surface enhanced electric field around the surface of the Au film with nanoscale roughness. To clarify the properties of the enhanced coherent phonon, we have investigated the pump-power dependence and pump-polarization dependence of the coherent phonon. We discuss the generation process of the coherent phonon in the CuI thin film on the Au film as compared with the pump-power dependence and the pump-polarization dependence.     

Temperature dependent magnetic spin and orbital moments of mass-filtered cobalt clusters on Au(111)

Mass-filtered cobalt clusters with a size of 8 nm have been deposited in-situ under soft-landing conditions onto Au(111). The spin and orbital moments of the Co nanoparticles on a Au (111) single crystal have been investigated as a function of the temperature using the element-specific method of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in photoabsorption. The results hint at an temperature-dependent spin-reorientation transition which is discussed with respect to different contribution to the magnetic anisotropy. Furthermore, by means of an in-situ oxidation experiment, the influence of an exposure to oxygen on the properties of the cobalt clusters has been investigated.     

Investigation of interface roughness cross-correlation properties of optical thin films from total scattering losses

The interface roughness and interface roughness cross-correlation properties affect the scattering losses of high-quality optical thin films. In this paper, the theoretical models of light scattering induced by surface and interface roughness of optical thin films are concisely presented. Furthermore, influence of interface roughness cross-correlation properties to light scattering is analyzed by total scattering losses. Moreover, single-layer TiO₂ thin film thickness, substrate roughness of K9 glass and ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) technique effect on interface roughness cross-correlation properties are studied by experiments, respectively. A 17-layer dielectric quarter-wave high reflection multilayer is analyzed by total scattering losses. The results show that the interface roughness cross-correlation properties depend on TiO₂ thin film thickness, substrate roughness and deposition technique. The interface roughness cross-correlation properties decrease with the increase of film thickness or the decrease of substrates roughness. Furthermore, ion beam assisted deposition technique can increase the interface roughness cross-correlation properties of optical thin films. The measured total scattering losses of 17-layer dielectric quarter-wave high reflection multilayer deposited with IBAD indicate that completely correlated interface model can be observed, when substrate roughness is about 2.84 nm.     

Polarized neutron reflectometry of the influence of Fe/Si,Fe/FeSi2 and Au/Fe interfaces on the magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe films

The magnetic and structural properties of epitaxial Fe films grown on Si(1 1 1) are investigated by polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) at room temperature. The influence of different types of interfaces, Fe/Si, Fe/FeSi₂ and Au/Fe on the magnetic properties of Fe films deposited by molecular beam epitaxy onto Si(1 1 1) are characterized. We observe a drastic reduction of the magnetic moment in the entire Fe film deposited directly on the silicon substrate essentially due to strong Si interdiffusion throughout the whole Fe layer thickness. The use of a silicide FeSi₂ template layer stops the interdiffusion and the value of the magnetic moment of the deposited Fe layer is close to its bulk value. We also evidence the asymmetric nature of the interfaces, Si/Fe and Fe/Si interfaces are magnetically very different. Finally, we show that the use of Au leads to an enhancement of the magnetization at the interface.     

纳米厚度贫铀/Au多层膜的制备及特性研究

理论和实验研究表明,纳米厚度周期调制的贫铀(DU)/Au多层膜材料具有高效的激光X射线转换效率. 采用交替磁控溅射制备纳米厚度的DU/Au平面多层周期结构,通过白光干涉仪、扫描电子显微镜、 X射线光电子能谱对DU/Au多层膜的几何参数、表面形貌、成分以及界面形貌进行表征.实验结果表明: 8 nm为Au连续成膜的厚度阈值,结合理论计算最优化原子配比,选取DU层厚度为30 nm、 Au层厚度为8 nm的调制周期结构;实测周期厚度为37 nm;扫描电子显微镜照片显示DU/Au分层明显; X射线光电子能谱深度刻蚀分析表明DU/Au界面处存在扩散, DU, Au, O三者原子比为73:26:1; 由于团簇效应, Au原子4f电子结合能向高能端移动,没有观察到DU相应的电子结合能移动现象.     

Interfacial differences in enhanced schottky barrier height Au/n-GaAs diodes deposited at 77 K

The use of cryogenic temperatures (∼77 K) during Au Schottky contact deposition onto n-GaAs produces an increase in barrier height from 0.73 eV for room temperature diodes to 0.82 eV. Not all Schottky metals show this enhancement—for example Pt and Ti do not show any significant change in barrier height whereas Au, Pd and Ni show increases between 7 and 18%. We used X-ray reflectivity to show that the main difference between Au deposited at 77 K and room temperature is a decreased metal roughness while the interfacial roughness between the Au and GaAs is basically the same. As the diodes are annealed to 300 °C both the difference in barrier height and interfacial roughness is lost. This is a simple method with potential for improving the performance of GaAs metal-semiconductor-field-effect-transistors (MESFETs).     

ITO/Au/ITO multilayer thin films for transparent conducting electrode applications

Transparent and conducting ITO/Au/ITO multilayered films were deposited without intentional substrate heating on polycarbonate (PC) substrate using a magnetron sputtering process. The thickness of ITO, Au and ITO metal films in the multilayered structure was constant at 50, 10 and 40 nm, respectively.Although the substrate temperature was kept constant at 70 °C, ITO/Au/ITO films were polycrystalline with an (1 1 0) X-ray diffraction peak, while single ITO films were amorphous. Surface roughness analysis indicated ITO films had a higher average roughness of 1.76 nm, than the ITO/Au/ITO film roughness of 0.51 nm. The optoelectrical properties of the ITO/Au/ITO films were dependent on the Au thin film, which affected the ITO film crystallinity. ITO/Au/ITO films on PC substrates were developed with a resistivity as low as 5.6 × 10⁻⁵ Ω cm and a high optical transmittance of 71.7%.