Variety of LaSrMnO structures induced by growth conditions and laser irradiation

Crystallographic phase transitions in perovskite-like LaSrMnO metallic oxides are studied. The transitions are induced when internal stresses generated during film synthesis (at temperatures between 450 and 730°C) vary (decrease or increase) upon subsequent irradiation by a KrF laser emitting in the UV range. As the synthesis temperature T _s grows, the rhombohedral-to-orthorhombic phase transition occurs at 650–670°C. The resistivity is shown to be either temperature-independent, ρ(T)=const, at T<T _crit, or varies and reaches a maximum, ρ(T)=ρ_max, at the Curie temperature T _c. Optical transmission spectra taken at photon energies ℏω=0.5–2.5 eV exhibit both a high (0.8–0.9) and low (0.1–0.3) transmission coefficient t, depending on the synthesis temperature. As follows from X-ray diffraction data, the laser irradiation causes a phase transition only in LaSrMnO films grown at T _s<650°C. Phases of different size scales appear: the long-range-order orthorhombic matrix and mesoscopic-range-order rhombohedral clusters are observed in the films grown at T _s=450–550°C and the rhombohedral matrix with orthorhombic clusters, in the films grown at T _s=550–650°C.     

Magnetization anomalies in melt-spun Ni–Mn–Ga ribbons

Temperature and field dependencies of the magnetization of melt-spun ribbons of Ni_45.7Mn_37.2Ga_17.1 (T_C<T_A) and Ni_54.3Mn_20.5Ga_25.2 (T_C>T_A), where T_A and T_C are the reverse martensitic transformation and Curie temperatures, respectively, have been studied in broad ranges of magnetic fields (±30 kOe) and temperatures (10–350 K). It was found that the magnetic and thermomagnetic properties have a number of peculiarities and anomalies. Particularly, the magnetization values measured at both low and high magnetic fields increase significantly after annealing. Low-temperature anomalies of magnetization suggest the presence of the superparamagnetic behavior and/or phenomena related to the concurrent exchange interactions in the as-spun state. The obtained results can be explained by the influence of concentration inhomogeneities and atomic disordering in the rapidly quenched ribbons, which can be reduced by annealing.     

Effect of annealing on the magnetic and magnetooptical properties of Ni films

The magnetic and magnetooptical properties of 50-to 200-nm-thick Ni films, both as-deposited and annealed at T_ann = 300, 400, or 500°C, were studied. Volume and near-surface hysteresis loops were measured with a vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) and with the use of the transverse Kerr effect (TKE). The annealing temperature was found to exert a strong effect on the magnetic characteristics of the samples under study. It was established, in particular, that the coercivity H _C of Ni films increases and the remanent magnetization decreases with increasing annealing temperature. The observed dependences of the magnetic properties of the films on film thickness and annealing temperature are explained as being due to microstructural characteristics of the samples. It was found that, while TKE spectra obtained in the incident-photon energy region from 1.5 to 6 eV have the same shape for all the Ni films studied, the magnitude of the TKE decreases with increasing T_ann. This experimental observation is accounted for by the decreased saturation magnetization of the annealed films.     

Superconductivity and normal electrical conductivity of amorphous lead films nucleated with molybdenum

Lead films vapor quenched onto nucleating monolayers of Mo or W exhibit strong lattice disorder and can be considered to be amorphous. The amorphous-to-crystalline transformation temperatureT _tr is indicated by a sharp drop of the electrical resistivity in the course of annealing.T _tr is found to be proportional tod ^–2 for Pb thicknessd smaller than 30 nm. The superconducting transition temperatureT _c is by 0.6 to 1 K smaller in the amorphous state than after crystallization. In both states,T _c is proportional tod ^–1. Prenucleation with about half a monolayer of Mo leads to quite the sameT _c depression as observed earlier by Strongin et al. on Pb films vapor quenched onto predeposited films of SiO, Ge or Al₂O₃. For comparison, experiments have been carried out with 2.5 nm Ge predeposits. As with Mo prenucleation, a well defined transformation temperatureT _tr of about the same value has been observed.T _c of bulk amorphous Pb can be extrapolated to be about 6.6 K.     

Superconductivity of vapour quenched beryllium and beryllium-based alloys

The properties of Be films, quench-condensed upon a³He cooled substrate, have been investigated by resistance and tunneling measurements. The superconducting transition temperature,T _c , of Be films increased with thickness and a thick film limit of 9.95 K could be estimated. Alloying with Al or Pb decreasedT _c. The ratios between energy gaps andT _c 's indicated that Be is a weak coupling superconductor, and no phonon induced structure could be traced in tunneling curves neither in pure Be nor in the Be based alloys. Resistance change during annealing as well as superconducting data indicated that the vapour quenched Be films were amorphous as deposited.     

Enhanced temperature-independent magnetoresistance below the metal-insulator transition temperature of epitaxial La0.2Nd0.4Ca0.4MnO3 thin films

Epitaxial La_0.2Nd_0.4Ca_0.4MnO₃ thin films have been deposited at 800°C on LaAlO₃ substrate using pulsed laser deposition technique. The structural and magnetotransport properties of the films have been studied. The sharp peak in the temperature dependence of the resistance corresponding to metal-to-insulator transition (T _p) has been observed at a temperature of T _p=82 K, 97 K and 110 K for 0 Oe, 20 kOe and 40 kOe magnetic fields, respectively. The film exhibits a large nearly temperature-independent magnetoresistance around 99% in the temperature regime below T _p. The zero field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetization data at 50 Oe shows irreversibility between the ZFC and FC close to the ferromagnetic transition temperature T _c=250 K. The ZFC temperature data of the film displays ferromagnetic behavior for higher temperature regime T _c=250 K>T>T _p=82 K, and a decrease in magnetization with decreasing temperature up to 5 K below 82 K exhibiting a sort of antiferromagnetic behavior in the low temperature regime (T<82 K=T _p=T _N).     

Amorphous-crystalline transition in Ge films by photoemission

Photoelectron second-derivative, energy distribution spectra reveal subtle changes in the density-of-states of vapour-deposited, amorphous Ge films, arising from microstructural ordering processes. Evidence is presented for ‘ideal’ amorphous Ge films, prepared at a deposition temperature T_s = 120 ± 20°C, which undergo an abrupt amorphous-crystalline transition upon annealing to T_A ? 230 ± 10°C. These films are thought to approach closely the random-network Polk-model. High densities of localized states in the pseudogap are observed in imperfect films.     

Grain size of MnBi films

MnBi films were prepared by annealing Bi-Mn composite films. The grain size of the MnBi films was strongly influenced by the temperatureT _s of the film substrate during evaporation of Bi and Mn. For 55-nm-thick films, the numberN of MnBi grains per mm² decreased from 4×10⁶ per mm² forT _s =+90°C to 1 per mm² forT _s =−40°C. The diameters of the largest grains observed were about 5 mm. For interpretation of this result, the formation process of MnBi films was observed magneto-optically and electronmicroscopically. It was found thatN was determined by the structure of Bi in the Bi-Mn composite films and that this strongly depended onT _s .     

Investigation of the magnetic properties and magnetic structure parameters of nanocrystalline Fe<Subscript>79</Subscript>Zr<Subscript>10</Subscript>N<Subscript>11</Subscript> films

The magnetic properties (magnetization curve, ferromagnetic resonance spectrum) of nanocrystalline Fe₇₉Zr₁₀N₁₁ films obtained by RF magnetron sputtering with subsequent annealing were studied experimentally, along with the fundamental magnetic constants of these films (saturation magnetization M _S, local magnetic anisotropy energy K, and the exchange coupling constant A). The magnetic properties are discussed within the random magnetic model, which determines the correlation of the magnetic properties with the fundamental magnetic constants and nanostructure parameters (grain size, magnetic anisotropy, and correlation radius R _C). The exchange correlation length 2R _L for the film magnetic microstructure was determined by correlation magnetometry.     

Influence of annealing on magnetic properties of Co-based metallic glasses

The influence of low-temperature annealing on the magnetic hysteresis loop parameters of magnetostrictive Co-Si-B and nonmagnetostrictive Co-Fe-Si-B glasses was studied. The dependence of Curie temperature (T_C), crystallization temperature (T_x), full-stress-relaxation temperature, saturation magnetostriction constant, saturation magnetization and coercive field H_c on metalloids contents for as quenched Co_100-x(Si_0.5B_0.5)_x glasses was determined.It was found that annealing enhances remanence magnetization for all investigated Co-Si-B glasses. The coercive field of these glasses is influenced by annealing owing to: stress relaxation (resulting in an H_c decrease) and domain structure stabilization (resulting in an H_c increase). Significant H_c reduction for both magnetostrictive and non-magnetostrictive glasses was observed, after annealing above T_C. For glasses with T_C<>T_x, it was necessary to apply an external magnetic field in ord er to decrease H_c.It was found that non-magnetostrictive metallic glasses with low Curie temperatures (T_C ? 450 K) exhibit the most stable magnetic hysteresis loop parameters.     

Kinetics of CW laser-induced crystallization and oxidation of thin,Sb, Se,and Sb2Se3 films in air

Thin films of Sb, Se and Sb₂Se₃ are deposited onto glass and irradiated by a cw-Ar⁺ laser beam. The kinetics of crystallization and oxidation are traced via the time dependence of optical reflectivity and temperature, T, of the irradiated zone. For Sb₂Se₃, transformations start abruptly when T attains a critical value, T _c, independently of the laser beam power. These T _c values are comparable to the ones observed under furnace annealing conditions.     

A Mössbauer study of ferromagnetic domain orientation in amorphous Fe75P15C10 foils

Mössbauer studies of splat cooled amorphous Fe₇₅P₁₅C₁₀ foils show that, in “as prepared” samples, frozen-in stresses cause the magnetization to be essentially in the plane of the foil. However, by annealing at 600°K for one hour, the magnetization becomes predominantly perpendicular to the surface (>85%). Thus, splat cooled materials may support the formation of bubble domains. Further annealing in the presence of a magnetic field does not increase the relative magnetization perpendicular to the surface.     

Effect of field-induced magnetic ordering on the electrical resistance of the frustrated magnet Au80Co20

Au₈₀Co₂₀ platelets were produced by solid-state quenching followed by furnace annealing and characterized by X-ray diffraction. Magnetization and magnetoresistance (MR) were measured from 2 to 265 K. Minima of the zero-field electrical resistance R₀(T) were observed at low temperatures (T_m≈20 K) in both as-quenched and annealed samples. These minima disappear upon applying a magnetic field. At low T, a negative MR is associated to strong frustration and a very short magnetic coherence length; at higher temperatures, a positive MR is also observed.     

TDPAC studies of Hf doped YBCO

Time differential perturbed angular correlation measurements of the 133–482 keVγ-γ cascade of¹⁸¹Ta in Hf-doped YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x are presented. The¹⁸¹Hf precurser nuclei are incorporated into the sample by thermal neutron irradiation. Two quadrupole interaction frequencies are observed in the as-irradiated sample:v _Q1=161±10 MHz with intensityf ₁=75%, asymmetry parameterη ₁=0.32 and damping parameter Λ₁=0.42, andv _Q2=1108±40 MHz withf ₂=25%,η ₂=0.62, and Λ₂=0.60. On annealing the sample in air at various temperaturesT _a and quenching to room temperature,f ₁ remained nearly constant forT _a<600°C andv _Q1 for all annealing temperatures indicating that these are insensitive to oxygen stoichiometry. This frequency is interpreted to be due to¹⁸¹Hf substitutingY sites. BeyondT _a=600°C,f ₁ increased and reached a constant value of 90% forT _a=800°C. The value ofv _Q2 showed a slight variation between 1086 and 1160 MHz, whilef ₂ remained nearly constant at 25% forT _a<600°C. This component is identified to be due to¹⁸¹Hf substituting Cu 1 sites in the Cu-O chains of YBCO. Above 600°Cv _Q2 decreased and reached a value of 808 MHz beyond 750°C.     

Effect of annealing atmosphere on ferromagnetism in Mn doped ZnO films

This paper reports that Zn_0.97Mn_0.03O thin films have been prepared by radio-frequency sputtering technology followed by rapid thermal processing in nitrogen and oxygen ambient respectively. Magnetic property investigation indicates that the films are ferromagnetic and that the Curie temperature (T_c) is over room temperature. It is observed that the saturation magnetization of the films increases after annealing in nitrogen ambience but decreases after annealing in oxygen. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra indicate that the amount of defects in the films differs after annealing in the different ambiences. This suggests that the ferromagnetism in Zn_0.97Mn_0.03O films is strongly related to the defects in the films.     

Experimental evidences of magnetic two-phase state in Eu1−xAxMnO3 (A = Ca,Sr)

For insulating Eu_1−xA_xMnO₃ (A = Ca, Sr; x = 0, 0.3) ceramics the magnetic properties depend on the thermomagnetic history of the sample and the maximum of initial magnetic susceptibility is located at T=T_N, being independent of the AC field frequency. Magnetization isotherms are the superposition of the linear part and spontaneous magnetization. The maximum of electrical resistivity and colossal magnetoresistance are observed in the T_N region. These properties are explained by the magnetic two-phase state.     

Effect of annealing on structure and magnetic properties of Fe-N and Fe-Ti-N thin films

The structure and magnetic properties of Fe-N and Fe-Ti-N films have been studied as a function of annealing temperature T_a with a transmission electron microscope and a vibrating sample magnetometer. The as-prepared Fe-N films consist of the γ^′-Fe₄N and α^′′-Fe₁₆N₂ phases, and the Fe-Ti-N films are composed of the γ^′-Fe₄N, α^′′-Fe₁₆N₂, and TiN phases. The structural changes with annealing temperature in the Fe-N films are distinct. The α^′′-Fe₁₆N₂ decomposes into α+γ^′ phases in the Fe-N film annealed at about 300 °C, and it disappears in the film annealed at 350 °C. Annealing of the Fe-Ti-N films shows no structural changes between room temperature (RT) and 500 °C. The saturation magnetization 4πM_S and coercivity H_c of the Fe-N films change drastically with the annealing temperature T_a, whereas those of the Fe-Ti-N films do not change with T_a up to 500 °C. These results indicate that the additon of Ti may improve the thermal stability of Fe-N films. Recieved: 6 Juli 1998 / Accepted: 19 Oktober 1998 / Published online: 10 March 1999     

Growth and magnetic characterization of YBCO films

Summary Epitaxial films of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x were depositedin situ on LaAlO₃ substrates using single-target 90° off-axis sputtering. The films were characterized by magnetization measurements (M vs. T, H), applying the field parallel toc-axis. The observed differences in theT _c andJ _c values are attributed to the different oxygen content in the superconducting films. Paper presented at the ?VII Congresso SATT?, Torino, 4–7 October 1994.     

The influence of low-temperature annealing on the physical properties of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O y thin films

We have studied the low-temperature annealing effect on the physical properties of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O _y thin films deposited on a MgO(100) substrate by rf magnetron sputtering. It is found that the characteristics of the films depend strongly on the oxygen partial pressure during re-annealing at 470°C after high-temperature annealing at 770°C in air. T_c and ρ at 300 K abruptly change for less than 20% oxygen partial pressure. A peak shift of the Bi4f core level spectrum is also observed at 0% oxygen partial pressure in an XPS measurement, which is due to the change in the ligand of the Bi atom.     

Crystallization of polycarbonate from the glassy state. part II. Thin films melted and quenched

The crystallization of glassy amorphous thin polycarbonate films quenched from the melt has been followed. Structures similar to those observed during the crystallization of films containing small amount of adsorbed solvent are formed. However, crystallization, at the same temperatures, is much slower and more irregular. Preannealing of the samples below T_g affects the crystallization process, increasing the nucleation rate. Annealing above T_g does not destroy all order gained by annealing below T_g.