Magnetic depth profiling of Fe/Au multilayer using neutron reflectometry

We present unpolarized and polarized neutron reflectometry data on Fe/Au multilayer sample for characterizing the layer structure and magnetic moment density profile. Fe/Au multilayer shows strong spin-dependent scattering at interfaces, making it a prospective GMR material. Fe/Au multilayer with bilayer thickness of 130 Å was grown on Si substrate by RF magnetron sputtering technique. Unpolarized neutron reflectivity measurement yields nuclear scattering length density profile. The magnetic scattering length density profile has been obtained from polarized neutron reflectivity measurements.     

Application of polarized neutron reflectometry and X-ray resonant magnetic reflectometry for determining the inhomogeneous magnetic structure in Fe/Gd multilayers

The evolution of the magnetic structure of multilayer [Fe (35 Å)/Gd (50 Å)₅] with variation in temperature and an applied magnetic field was determined using a complementary approach combining polarized neutron and X-ray resonant magnetic reflectometry. Self-consistent simultaneous analysis of X-ray and neutron spectra allowed us to determine the elemental and depth profiles in the multilayer structure with unprecedented accuracy, including the identification of an inhomogeneous intralayer magnetic structure with near-atomic resolution.     

Polarized neutron reflectometry of Fe/Cr/Gd superlattices

The magnetic structure of Fe/Cr/Gd superlattices is investigated using complementary methods of SQUID magnetometry and polarized neutron reflectometry. The complex magnetic behavior of the given system is caused by exchange interaction between the 3d (Fe) and 4f (Gd) layers of the ferromagnetic metals through the Cr antiferromagnetic spacer layer. It is found that a nonuniform profile of magnetization forms within the Gd layers under the influence of this interlayer interaction.     

Interlayer magnetic coupling in multilayer magnetic Fe/Cr/Fe systems

The interlayer magnetic coupling of iron layers as a function of the chromium spacer thickness and temperature has been studied for three-layer epitaxial Fe/Cr/Fe films by the methods of Kerr magnetometry and Mandelstam-Brillouin scattering. The results obtained indicate that the short-period component of the interlayer exchange is related to the spin density wave in the chromium spacer.     

Polarized neutron reflection study of an Er/Fe multilayer

Low angle polarized neutron scattering experiments have been performed on an Er91 Å/Fe39 Å multilayer. The evolution of the intensity of the first peak with the temperature and the external magnetic field shows that the average magnetizations of Fe and Er layers are in the applied field direction. The study of the intensities of the second and the third peaks indicates that there is an interface effect: some erbium atoms remain antiferromagnetically coupled to iron at the interface.     

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.     

Tracking the evolution of magnetic ordering in Co/Ru multilayers with inhomogeneous interlayer coupling using polarised neutron reflectometry

We report the measurement of reflected neutron intensity “hysteresis loops” from Co/Ru multilayers that have both antiferromagnetically and ferromagnetically coupled regions. We show that by measuring the four neutron spin-resolved reflectivities at a particular value of wavevector transfer, the normalised value of the relevant magnetic order parameter may be determined. The response of that order parameter to an applied magnetic field may hence be tracked. We have benchmarked our results against conventional magnetometry and magnetotransport measurements.     

Magnetic resonance in multilayer Gd/Si/Co magnetic films

The magnetic properties of multilayer Gd/Si/Co magnetic films are experimentally studied by electron magnetic resonance and analyzed theoretically. The introduction of a semiconductor silicon interlayer is found to substantially affect the magnetic interlayer coupling and the magnetic dynamics of the system. The interlayer coupling is shown to be ferromagnetic for the (Gd/Si)_n films and to be antiferromagnetic for the (Gd/Si/Co/Si)_n films. The temperature dependences of the exchange parameters and the gyromagnetic ratios are determined. Possible mechanisms responsible for the formation of the interlayer coupling are discussed.     

Structural and magnetic properties of FIB-irradiated microstructures on a Pt/Co multilayer

We present a study of the structural and magnetic effects induced by focused 30 keV Ga⁺ ion beam irradiation on a Pt(2.8 nm)/[Pt(0.6 nm)/Co(0.3 nm)]₆/Pt(6.5 nm) ferromagnetic multilayer, using transmission electron microscopy, optical and magneto-optical microscopy. The work is of relevance to high-density data-storage applications, where media planarity is crucial for device reliability.     

Layer magnetization canting in 57Fe/FeSi multilayer observed by synchrotron Mössbauer reflectometry

Synchrotron Mössbauer reflectometry and CEMS results on a [⁵⁷Fe(2.55 nm)/FeSi\break(1.57 nm)]₁₀ multilayer (ML) on a Zerodur substrate are reported. CEMS spectra are satisfactorily fitted by α‐Fe and an interface layer of random α‐(Fe, Si) alloy of 20% of the ⁵⁷Fe layer thickness on both sides of the individual Fe layers. Kerr loops show a fully compensated AF magnetic layer structure. Prompt X‐ray reflectivity curves show the structural ML Bragg peak and Kiessig oscillations corresponding to a bilayer period and total film thickness of 4.12 and 41.2 nm, respectively. Grazing incidence nuclear resonant Θ–2Θ scans and time spectra (E = 14.413 keV, λ = 0.0860 nm) were recorded in different external magnetic fields (0 < B^ext < 0.95 T) perpendicular to the scattering plane. The time integral delayed nuclear Θ–2Θ scans reveal the magnetic ML period doubling. With increasing transversal external magnetic field, the antiferromagnetic ML Bragg peak disappears due to Fe layer magnetization canting, the extent of which is calculated from the fit of the time spectra and the Θ–2Θ scans using an optical approach. In a weak external field the Fe layer magnetization directions are neither parallel with nor perpendicular to the external field. We suggest that the interlayer coupling in [Fe/FeSi]₁₀ varies with the distance from the substrate and the ML consists of two magnetically distinct regions, being of ferromagnetic character near substrate and antiferromagnetic closer to the surface.     

Fe and N diffusion in nitrogen-rich FeN measured using neutron reflectometry

Grazing incidence neutron reflectometry provides an opportunity to measure the depth profile of a thin film sample with a resolution <1 nm, in a non-destructive way. In this way the diffusion across the interfaces can also be measured. In addition, neutrons have contrast among the isotopes, making it feasible to measure the self-diffusion. In the present work, the isotope multilayers of [FeN/⁵⁷FeN]₁₀ and [FeN/Fe¹⁵N]₁₀ were prepared using magnetron sputtering and self-diffusion of Fe and N was investigated. It was found that N diffusion is slower compared to Fe and does not follow the atomic size dependence.      

Co/Ti金属磁性多层膜的激光布里渊散射研究(英文)

在室温下利用直流磁控溅射法制备出了具有不同Co层厚度的 [Co(dConm) /Ti(dTinm) ]n 金属磁性多层膜 (其中dCoanddTi是Co和Ti的厚度 ,n薄膜调制周期数 )。在 30 0K下用X射线衍射法 (XRD)和布里渊散射方法研究了Co层厚度分别为dCo=1 ,2 ,2 5 ,3 5nm ,Ti层厚度为dTi=2 5nm的Co/Ti多层膜。XRD的结果所示在Co/Ti多层膜中Co层厚度超过 2 5nm ,其结构类似块材Co的多晶结构。对比之下 ,Co/Ti多层膜中Co层厚度低于 2 5nm ,其XRD衍射峰随Co层厚度减少变的峰形加宽 ,衍射峰的强度减少 ,峰位移动和消失。在Co/Ti多层膜中自旋波的布里渊散射结果表明 :在Co/Ti多层膜中 ,对于dCo>2 5nm磁性呈铁磁性耦合 ,在dCo≤ 2 5nm时 ,其呈反铁磁性耦合。除表面自旋波外 ,在呈反铁磁性耦合的材料中观测到了两个有体特征的自旋波 ,而在呈铁磁耦合的材料中只观测到一个有体特征的自旋波。     

Time-odd correlation in a neutron reflectometry experiment

We find that neutron transmission of magnetic systems with the noncollinear magnetization contains a time-odd correlation. The neutron reflection from such a system violates detailed balance. Time-odd correlation is shown to violate T-invariance even in the presence of an irreversibly produced by losses and described by the imaginary part in the neutron-matter interaction.     

Expansion and relaxation of magnetic mirror domains in a Pt/Co/Pt/Co/Pt multilayer with antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling

We detail measurements of field-driven expansion and zero-field relaxation of magnetic mirror domains in antiferromagnetically coupled perpendicularly magnetized ultrathin Co layers. The zero-field stability of aligned ('mirror') domains in such systems results from non-homogeneous dipolar stray fields which exist in the vicinity of the domain walls. During field-driven domain expansion, we evidence a separation of the domain walls which form the mirror domain boundary. However, the walls realign, thereby reforming a mirror domain, if their final separation is below a critical distance at the end of the field pulse. This critical distance marks the point at which the effective net interaction between the walls changes from attractive to repulsive.     

Local magnetic fields in the Mo layer of Mo/Fe multilayer

Using time-differential perturbed-angular-correlation technique, hyperfine fields at ⁹⁹Tc (←⁹⁹Mo) in the Mo layers in polyimide/Fe (10 nm)/[Mo (t _Mo)/Fe (2.0 nm)]₁₂₀, where t _Mo is in the range between 0.4 and 1.5 nm, were measured at room temperature. The values of the magnetic hyperfine field at the Mo/Fe interface were extracted. Its dependence on the Mo layer thickness suggests that the oscillatory interlayer exchange coupling is due to conduction electron spin polarization in the Mo layer, which in turn is produced via an RKKY-type mechanism.     

Synchrotron radiation and polarized neutron study of the enhancement of orbital magnetic moment of Fe in the epitaxial NiFe/Ru multilayer

Epitaxial Ni₈₀Fe₂₀(5 nm)/Ru(x nm)/Ni₈₀Fe₂₀(5 nm) trilayers with thickness x = 0.5-3.0 were prepared on Al₂O₃ substrate. The structure, magnetic properties and magnetic depth profiles of the epitaxial Ni₈₀Fe₂₀(1 1 1)/Ru(0 0 0 1) multilayers were studied by X-ray diffraction, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and polarized neutron reflectivity. A strongly enhanced orbital moment of Fe in the permalloy layer was observed at the Ru thickness of the first anti-ferromagnetic coupling, which might be due to an interference between two interfaces. At this Ru thickness, the neutron reflectivity data show a 0.8 nm layer at the interface with the magnetic moment perpendicular to the surface plane, which might be due to the enhanced spin-orbital coupling at interface.     

Magnetism of Co layers in a Co/Si multilayer film

The magnetic properties of Co/Si multilayer films produced through rf ion sputtering were studied in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. The dependences of the spontaneous magnetization and hysteresis characteristics of the films on the thicknesses of the magnetic layers and nonmagnetic spacers are established. It is shown that these dependences are determined to a large extent by interlayer interfaces, in which the effective magnetic moment of the Co atoms and the exchange interaction decrease and magnetic-anisotropy dispersion arises. A probable cause of the interface formation is interlayer mixing (which is estimated to penetrate to a depth of 15 Å) and the strong effect of Si on the Co electronic structure.     

Magnetic Compton profiles of Fe thin film and anisotropy of Co/Pd multilayer

The magnetic Compton profiles (MCPs) of Fe thin film with 1 μm thickness have been successfully measured, using polyethylene terephtalate (PET) substrates with 4 μm thickness to reduce scattering photons from substrate.We have succeeded for the first time to observe the anisotropy of MCPs in the Co/Pd multilayer. The magnetic out-of-plane anisotropy of the current Co (0.8 nm)/Pd (1.6 nm) multilayer sample can be explained by the model of a large number of the |m|=1 states of 3d-bands.     

合成反铁磁Ni81Fe19/Co90Fe10/Ru/Co90Fe10/Ni81Fe19的研究

采用直流磁控溅射方法制备了一系列的合成反铁磁及以其为自由层的自旋阀.研究发现,在Ni81,Fe19与Ru层之间插入适当厚度的Co90Fe10层后,可有效地提高合成反铁磁两磁性层间的反铁磁耦合强度,得到具有饱和场日.更高、饱和磁化强度M.更低、热稳定性更好的合成反铁磁.另外,以这种合成反铁磁作自旋阀的自由层时,可有效提高自旋阀的稳定性.