Glass transition in ultrathin polymer films: calorimetric study

The ultrasensitive differential scanning calorimetry is used to observe the glass transition in thin (1-400 nm) spin-cast films of polystyrene, poly (2-vinyl pyridine) and poly (methyl methacrylate) on a platinum surface. A pronounced glass transition is observed even at a thickness as small as 1-3 nm. Using the high heating (20-200 K/ms) and cooling (1-2 K/ms in glass transition region) rates which are typical for this technique, we do not observe appreciable dependence of the glass transition temperature over the thickness range from hundreds of nanometers down to 3 nm thick films. The evolution of calorimetric data with film thickness is discussed in terms of broadening of transition dynamics and loss of transition contrast.     

Interface coupling transition in a thin epitaxial antiferromagnetic film interacting with a ferromagnetic substrate

We report experimental evidence for a transition in the interface coupling between an antiferromagnetic film and a ferromagnetic substrate. The transition is observed in a thin epitaxial NiO film grown on top of Fe(001) as the film thickness is increased. Photoemission electron microscopy excited with linearly polarized x rays shows that the NiO film is antiferromagnetic at room temperature with in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. The anisotropy axis is perpendicular to the Fe substrate magnetization when the NiO thickness is less than about 15 A, but rapidly becomes parallel to the Fe magnetization for a NiO coverage higher than 25 A.     

Proximity effect in Fe/Pb/Fe trilayers

We have studied superconducting and magnetic properties of sputtered Fe/Pb/Fe-trilayers. For a fixed Pb thickness and with changing Fe thickness, , a monotonic decrease of the superconducting transition temperature was observed. Magnetization measurements clearly showed that Fe remains ferromagnetic down to the monolayer range. A quantitative comparison of with the theory of pair breaking by the exchange field reveals that the observed -suppression by the ferromagnetic Fe-layer is much weaker than expected. Possible reasons for the reduced -suppression in this system are discussed. Received: 30 June 1997 / Revised: 20 August 1997 / Accepted: 16 December 1997     

Abnormal current-voltage characteristics and metal-insulator transition of amorphous carbon film/silicon heterojunction

The amorphous carbon film/n-Si (a-C/n-Si) heterojunctions have been fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering at room temperature, and their current-voltage characteristics have been investigated. The results show that these junctions have good rectifying properties in the temperature range 80-300 K. The interesting result is that the current-voltage curve changes dramatically with increasing applied voltage and temperature. For the forward bias voltages, the junction shows Ohmic mechanism characteristic in the temperature range 240-300 K. However, the conduction mechanism changes from Ohmic for the low bias voltages to space charge limited current for the high bias voltages in the temperature range 80-240 K. While for the reverse bias voltages, it changes from Schottky emission to breakdown with increasing voltage. Another important phenomenon is that the temperature dependence of the junction resistance shows a metal-insulator transition, whose transition temperature can be controlled by the bias voltage.     

Periodic lattice distortions in epitaxial films of Fe(110) on W(110)

The epitaxial growth of Fe(110) on W(110) at 500 K is analyzed using LEED and AES. Frank-van der Merwe growth is established by AES. According to LEED, pseudomorphism occurs up to θ = 1.64, where every W atom of two topmost W layers is just covered by exactly one Fe atom. For 2?θ?9, characteristic reflection-multiplets are observed, symmetric about the basic Fe(110) reflections, which are interpreted in terms of periodic lattice distortions. The latter are caused by interaction with the misfitting W substrate.     

Transition to the quasi-two-dimensional magnetic state in Pd-Fe films

The Mössbauer spectra of Pd-Fe films with different thicknesses and iron concentrations are measured. In these films, the spin fluctuations associated with the transition to a quasi-two-dimensional magnetic state are observed over a wide range of temperatures. The dependences of the magnetic field strength and the Curie temperature on the film thickness are quite consistent with the scaling theory. Owing to the long-range exchange coupling, the films containing 14.4 and 7.8 at. % Fe undergo a transition to the quasi-two-dimensional state at a film thickness of several thousand angströms.     

Manifestation of new interference effects in a superconductor-ferromagnet spin valve

Superconductor-ferromagnet (S/F) spin valve effect theories based on the S/F proximity phenomenon assume that the superconducting transition temperature Tc of F1/F2/S or F1/S/F2 trilayers for parallel magnetizations of the F1 and F2 layers (T(c)(P)) are smaller than for the antiparallel orientations (T(c)(AP)). Here, we report for CoOx/Fe1/Cu/Fe2/In multilayers with varying Fe2-layer thickness the sign-changing oscillating behavior of the spin valve effect ΔT(c) = T(c)(AP) - T(c)(P). We observe the full direct effect with T(c)(AP) > T(c)(P) for Fe2-layer thickness d(Fe2) < 1 nm and the full inverse (T(c)(AP) < T(c((P)) effect for d(Fe2) ≥ 1 nm. Interference of Cooper pair wave functions reflected from both surfaces of the Fe2 layer appear as the most probable reason for the observed behavior of ΔT(c).     

GdBa_2Cu_(3-x)Fe_xO_(7-δ)超导体系结构相变及拉曼谱特征

采用固态反应法制备了GdBa2Cu3-xFexO7-δ(x=0.00-0.30)系列样品,利用X射线衍射、拉曼光谱以及电测量技术对体系的晶体结构、拉曼散射谱特征以及电输运特性进行了系统研究。结果表明,当Fe掺杂量在x=0.05-0.10区间时,体系的晶体结构发生了从正交相到四方相的转变。通过对拉曼光谱中典型振动模的指认及振动模随Fe掺杂量的变化规律,得到了拉曼谱随体系正交-四方结构相变的变化特征:对于具有正交相的x=0.00-0.05样品,拉曼谱具有五个与正交相结构相对应的特征峰;而对于具有四方相的x=0.10-0.30样品,随Fe掺杂量增加,振动模强度变弱,且典型振动模发生了不同程度的展宽或频移。电输运测量表明,随Fe掺杂量的增加,超导临界温度Tc降低,正常态电阻率增加且发生了金属-半导体相变。     

Magnetic properties of thin epitaxial films investigated by spin-polarized photoemission

The surface sensitivity of the spin-polarized photoemission experiment was exploited to study two-dimensional magnetism. The magnetization of thin films of Fe, Co, and V in the monolayer (ML) range, grown on Cu(001) and Ag(001) single crystals, was measured as a function of perpendicularly applied field and temperature. Bcc Fe films and fcc Fe and Co films exhibit ferromagnetism down to the single monolayer range, while no evidence for ferromagnetism is found for V on Ag(001). All Co films are magnetized in plane and have a Curie temperature far above room temperature. A thickness dependence of the anisotropy and Curie temperature is observed for the two phases of Fe. Remanent magnetization perpendicular to the surface is found at 30 K for fcc Fe films thicker than 2 ML and for bcc Fe between 3 and 4 ML. The magnetic effects caused by coating and by interdiffusion are discussed in the light of measurements of Cu/Fe/Cu sandwiches and of overlayers obtained by simultaneous evaporation of Fe and Cu. The fcc Fe films are shown to be suitable for thermomagnetic writing.     

Thickness dependent studies of dielectric breakdown in Langmuir thin molecular films

The usefulness of Langmuir thin molecular films for making devices has made it necessary to study their dielectric breakdown behaviour. Study of thickness dependence of the breakdown field in these films is important from the point of view of device applications as well as the understanding of breakdown phenomenon. In the present paper, thickness dependence of two breakdown events corresponding to ‘onset breakdown’ and ‘maximum breakdown’ voltages have been reported for the ‘build-up’ Langmuir films of barium palmitate, margarate and behenate in the thickness ranges (23–300 Å) and (370–2400 Å), respectively. These two events are of particular interest because the former determines the permissible operating voltage and the latter leads to the ‘practically’ important ultimate dielectric strength of the film. The Langmuir films have been chosen because of their accurately known and controllable uniform thickness, high dielectric strength and high structural perfection. The onset breakdown strength of all the substances is found to vary as d^-1 (d being film thickness) in the ultra-thin range which have been explained qualitatively in terms of boundary effects. The maximum breakdown strength is also found to be almost inversely proportional to the film thickness but the results remain inexplicable because the actual mechanism of destructive breakdown is not yet fully understood. The typical J-V characteristics in the ‘non-destructive’ phase have also been given.     

Exchange bias as a probe of the incommensurate spin-density wave in epitaxial Fe/Cr(001)

We report clear multiple period oscillations in the temperature dependence of exchange bias in an Fe thin film exchange coupled to a neighboring Cr film. The oscillations arise due to an incommensurate spin-density wave in the Cr, with wave vector perpendicular to the Fe/Cr(001) interface. The exchange bias and coercivity allow for a determination of the extent of the thermally driven wavelength expansion, the (strain-suppressed) spin-flip transition temperature, and the Cr Néel temperature, which show a crossover from bulklike to finite-size behavior at a Cr thickness of approximately 1100 A. The data are consistent with a transition from a transverse to longitudinal wave on cooling.     

Study of the magnetism and the magnetic anisotropy of Fe layers in Ni/Fe/Ni(1 1 1) by Mössbauer spectroscopy

The hyperfine field and the magnetic anisotropy of a Fe layer as a function of thickness have been investigated in several Ni/⁵⁷Fe_x/Ni(1 1 1) trilayers with relatively thick Ni layers by Mössbauer spectroscopy. For Fe layers with thickness below 16 Å, the Mössbauer spectra show always the presence of two ferromagnetic phases with high-spin state. In the range between 6 and 8 Å, also a ferromagnetic phase with low-spin state and a paramagnetic phase have been found. The evolution of the mean hyperfine field of the ⁵⁷Fe nuclei is used to study the Fe growth. A structural FCCBCC phase transition is found to begin with an iron thickness of 8 Å. The easy direction of the magnetization is found out-of-plane for Fe interlayer with FCC structure, and perfectly in plane for Fe interlayer with BCC structure.     

Fe3O4/MgO(100)薄膜外场诱导电阻变化特性

采用激光分子束外延（L-MBE）方法,以MgO(100)为基底生长了Fe3O4单晶薄膜, 研究了Fe3O4/MgO(100)薄膜外场（温度、磁和激光场）诱导电阻变化特性。X射线衍射(XRD)分析表明Fe3O4薄膜是沿MgO(200)晶面外延生长的单晶薄膜;反射高能电子衍射（RHEED）强度振荡曲线分析表明Fe3O4薄膜表面平整,而且生长模式为2维层状生长;原子力显微镜（AFM）分析表明Fe3O4薄膜表面粗糙度为0.201 nm,说明薄膜表面达到原子级平整度。外场作用下Fe3O4薄膜的电阻测试表明:薄膜样品的电阻在120 K(Verwey转变温度)出现一峰值,略微下降后继续增大, 展现出半导体型的导电特性; 在激光作用下,整个测量温度范围内薄膜样品的电阻减小,样品展示出瞬间光电导的特性;从降温曲线可以看出, Verwey转变温度由无激光作用时的120 K上升到有激光作用时的140 K; 光致电阻变化率随着温度的降低而增大,这主要是由于激光作用导致电荷有序态的退局域化。     

Novel pressure-induced magnetic transition in magnetite (Fe3O4)

Fe K-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism of magnetite (Fe3O4) powders was measured with synchrotron radiation under variable pressure and temperature conditions in diamond anvil cell. The magnetic dichroism was observed to decrease discontinuously by approximately 50% between 12 and 16 GPa, independent of temperature. The magnetic transition is attributed to a high-spin to intermediate-spin transition of Fe2+ ions in the octahedral sites and could account for previously observed structural and electrical anomalies in magnetite at this pressure range. The interpretation of x-ray magnetic circular dichroism data is supported by x-ray emission spectroscopy and theoretical cluster calculations.     

Al和Fe替代对La0.67Ca0.33MnO3体系结构和M-I转变的影响

研究了Al和Fe替代的La0.67Ca0.33Mn1-xMxO3体系的结构特征及其对金属-绝缘转变的影响.结果表明,随Fe替代含量的增加,晶胞体积并未有显著的变化;而随Al替代含量的增加,在整个替代范围内,晶胞体积表现为单调减小.两种替代均使体系的电阻率急剧增加,绝缘-金属转变温度TIM向低温方向移动.对少量替代含量,在T<TIM的低温区域满足金属输运行为,这种输运行为随Al和Fe离子替代含量的变化特征,可从Al3+离子和Fe3+离子对Mn3+-O2--Mn4+双交换通道的破坏给予解释.对于较高的替代含量,Al离子的替代除通过形成Al3+-O2--Mn4+作用通道影响双交换外,由晶格畸变所导致的电声子耦合变化也会影响双交换,而对于Fe离子的替代,由于反铁磁簇的存在所诱发的Mn离子自旋对电子的散射可能是影响体系输运特性的重要原因.     

Evidence of microphase separation in controlled pore glasses

The phase separation of a mixture of water and isobutyric acid (iBA) confined in the pore space of Controlled Pore Glass (CPG) 10-75 has been studied by ¹H NMR relaxometry and ¹H-pulsed field gradient (PFG) diffusion measurements. For an acid-rich mixture (mass fraction 54 wt% iBA), evidence of a phase separation process in the pores was obtained, which occurs in a temperature window between 32 and 39 °C, as indicated in the PFG data by an anomalous temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient and in the relaxation data by a bi-exponential magnetization decay. The phase separation temperature of the mixture in the pore is slightly lower than in the bulk mixture of the same composition (41 °C) and extends over a finite temperature range. A qualitative model of the phase separation process in the pores is developed, which assumes a temperature-dependent domain-like structure of the liquid below the phase transition temperature and a breakdown of these domains upon reaching the transition temperature.     

Size effect on magnetism of Fe thin films in Fe/Ir superlattices

In ferromagnetic thin films, the Curie temperature variation with the thickness is always considered as continuous when the thickness is varied from n to n+1 atomic planes. We show that it is not the case for Fe in Fe/Ir superlattices. For an integer number of atomic planes, a unique magnetic transition is observed by susceptibility measurements, whereas two magnetic transitions are observed for fractional numbers of planes. This behavior is attributed to successive transitions of areas with n and n+1 atomic planes, for which the T(c)'s are not the same. Indeed, the magnetic correlation length is presumably shorter than the average size of the terraces. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to support this explanation.     

EPR Features of Spin-Crossover in Tris(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Dialkyl-Dithiocarbamato)Iron(III)

The temperature dependence of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of a series of dithiocarbamates Fe(RR′dtc)₃ was studied in the temperature range from 5 to 300 K. A small part of solvated complexes serving as spin probes in the EPR-silent matrix enabled the observation of EPR of the Fe(III) ion in the whole temperature range. The spin transition was revealed in the reduction of the integral intensity of the signal from the high-spin complexes and in the non-monotonous change of the line width with temperature decrease due to the effect of the low-spin complexes with short spin–lattice relaxation times. Below ca. 60 K, the ferromagnetic ordering of the magnetic moments in low-spin particles (“domains”) arising at the spin transition was observed.     

Atomic and Magnetic Structure of the Interface in Multilayers

Temperature dependence of the magnetic properties of Fe/Ag vacuum evaporated multilayers was studied in a wide range of layer thickness. For Fe thickness larger than 1 nm continuous magnetic layers can be found, but its hyperfine field is significantly lower than that of pure α-Fe at elevated temperatures. It is attributed to a decrease of the Curie temperature due to Ag impurities in the Fe layer. Below 1 nm Fe thickness magnetic relaxation and the formation of a granular alloy with 35 T average hyperfine field was observed. Magnetoresistance results indicate the presence of Fe clusters in the Ag matrix, as well. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spin polarized low energy electron microscopy investigations of magnetic transitions in Fe/Cu(1 0 0)

Magnetic transitions in ultrathin Fe films on the Cu(1 0 0) surface have been studied with spin polarized low energy electron microscopy. By monitoring averaged image intensity oscillations and the evolution of magnetization and magnetic domain structure simultaneously and continuously during growth, magnetism and film thickness are correlated with unprecedented precision. The thickness range over which ferromagnetism exists in films grown at room temperature generally increases as the deposition rate is decreased. This trend is attributed to the influence of residual hydrogen. The two-dimensional Ising model with finite size scaling of the Curie temperature accurately describes the evolution of magnetization with increasing film thickness.