Effect of interfacial diffusion on microstructure and properties of FePt/B4C multifunctional multilayer composite films

FePt/B₄C multilayer composite films were prepared by magnetron sputtering and subsequent annealing in vacuum. By changing Fe layer thickness of [Fe/Pt]₆/B₄C films, optimal magnetic property (8.8 kOe and remanence squareness is about 1.0) is got in [Fe(5.25 nm)/Pt(3.75 nm)]₆/B₄C sample whose composition is Fe rich and near stoichiometric ratio. The characterizations of microstructure demonstrate that the diffusion of B and C atoms into FePt layer depends strongly on B₄C interlayer thickness. When B₄C interlayer thickness of [Fe(2.625 nm)/Pt(3.75 nm)/Fe(2.625 nm)/B₄C]₆ films is bigger than 3 nm, stable value of grain size (6-6.5 nm), coercivity (6-7 kOe) and hardness (16-20 GPa) is observed. Finally, the multifunctional single FePt/B₄C composite film may find its way to substitute traditional three-layer structure commonly used in present data storage technology.     

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of FePt film on Si substrate with SiO2 underlayer and B4C interlayers

FePt multilayer composite films with and without B₄C interlayer have been prepared by magnetron sputtering, respectively, and subsequent annealing in vacuum. It was found that the B₄C layers effectively serve as spacers to separate the FePt layers, enhancing (0 0 1) orientation of FePt alloy. Our results show that highly (0 0 1) oriented FePt/B₄C films have significant potential as perpendicular recording media.     

Influence of Fe cap layer on the structural and magnetic properties of Fe49Pt51/Fe bi-layers

The influences of an Fe cap layer on the structural and magnetic properties of FePt/Fe bi-layers are investigated. Compared with single FePt alloy films, a thin Fe layer can affect the crystalline orientation and improve the chemical ordering of L10 FePt films. Moreover, the coercivity increases when a thin Fe layer covers the FePt layer.Beyond a critical thickness, however, the Fe cover layer quickens the magnetization reversal of Fe49Pt51/Fe bi-layers by their exchange coupling.     

Ferroelectric and dielectric properties of SrBi<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>15</Subscript> thin films grown on Bi<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> film layer

Ferroelectric and dielectric properties of bilayered ferroelectric thin films, SrBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ grown on Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂, were investigated. The thin films were annealed at 700°C under oxygen atmosphere. The bilayered thin films were prepared on a Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate by a chemical solution deposition method. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the bilayered thin films were 645 and 0.09, respectively, at 100 kHz. The value of remnant polarization (2P _r) measured from the ferroelectric thin film capacitors was 60.5 μC/cm² at electric field of 200 kV/cm. The remnant polarization was reduced by 22% of the initial value after 10¹⁰ switching cycles. The results showed that the ferroelectric and dielectric properties of the SrBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ on Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ ferroelectric thin films were better than those of the SrBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ grown on a Pt-coated Si substrate suggesting that the improved properties may be due to the different nucleation and growth kinetics of SrBi₄Ti₄O₁₅ on the c-axis-oriented Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ layer or on the Pt-coated Si substrate.     

Nanocomposite L10 FePt–SiNx and FePt–SiNx–C films with large coercivity and small grain size on a TiN intermediate layer

FePt–SiN_x–C films with high coercivity, (001) texture and small grain size were obtained by co-sputtering FePt, Si₃N₄ and C on TiN/CrRu/glass substrate at 380 °C. Without C doping, FePt–SiN_x films with good perpendicular anisotropy and a single layer structure were obtained. However, the grain size was still too large and the grain isolation was poor. When C was doped into the FePt–SiN_x films, the out-of-plane coercivity increased due to the decrease of the exchange coupling. In addition, the grain size of the FePt films decreased, and well-separated FePt grains with uniform size were formed. The microstructure of [FePt–SiN_x 40 vol%]−20 vol% C films changed from a single layer structure to a multiple layer structure when the FePt thickness was increased from 4 to 10 nm. By optimizing the sputtering process, the [FePt (4 nm)–SiN_x 40 vol%]−20 vol% C (001) film with coercivity higher than 21.5 kOe, a single layer structure, and small average FePt grain size of 5.6 nm was obtained, which makes it suitable for ultrahigh density perpendicular recording.     

Structural and magnetic properties of layered Ca<Subscript>3</Subscript>Co<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>9</Subscript> thin films

Layered cobalt oxides Ca₃Co₄O₉ thin films have been grown directly on c-cut sapphire substrates using pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy characterizations show that the deposited films present the expected monoclinic structure and a texture along the direction perpendicular to the Al₂O₃(001) plane. The Ca₃Co₄O₉ structure presents six variants in the film plane. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy shows that the films are stoichiometric and that the film thickness agrees with the nominal value. The susceptibility χ of the films, recorded along the c-axis of the substrate, after field cooling and zero field cooling in an applied field of 1 kOe shows two magnetic transitions at 19 and 370 K which agree well with previous findings on single crystal samples. In turn, at low temperature (5 K), the magnetization curve along the c-axis exhibits coercive field and remanent magnetization much smaller than those reported for bulk samples, which can be related to the influence of structural variants and structural defects.     

Large optical nonlinearity in CaCu<Subscript>3</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> thin films

CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO) thin films were successfully prepared on LaAlO₃ substrates by pulsed laser deposition technique. We measured the nonlinear optical susceptibility of the thin films using Z-scan method at a wavelength of 532 nm with pulse durations of 25 ps and 7 ns. The large values of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility, χ ⁽³⁾, of the CCTO film were obtained to be 2.79×10⁻⁸ esu and 3.30×10⁻⁶ esu in picosecond and nanosecond time regimes, respectively, which are among the best results of some representative nonlinear optical materials. The origin of optical nonlinearity of CCTO films was discussed. The results indicate that the CCTO films on LaAlO₃ substrates are promising candidate materials for applications in nonlinear optical devices.     

Control of crystallographic orientation in L10 FePt films by using Cr and CrW underlayers

The microstructure and magnetic properties of FePt films grown on Cr and CrW underlayers were investigated. The FePt films that deposited on Cr underlayer show (2 0 0) orientation and low coercivity because of the diffusion between FePt and Cr underlayer. The misfit between FePt magnetic layer and underlayer increases by small addition of W element in Cr underlayer or using a thin Mo intermediate layer, which is favorable for the formation of (0 0 1) orientation and the transformation of FePt from fcc to fct phase. A good FePt (0 0 1) texture was obtained in the films with Cr₈₅W₁₅ underlayer with substrate temperature of 400 °C. The FePt films deposited on Mo/Cr underlayer exhibit larger coercivity than that of the films grown on Pt/Cr₈₅W₁₅ because 5 nm Mo intermediate layer depressed the diffusion of Cr into magnetic layer.     

垂直取向FePt/Ag纳米颗粒薄膜的结构和磁性

用磁控溅射法在单晶MgO(100)基片上制备了［FePt 2 nm/Ag dnm］₁₀多层膜， 经真空热处理后，得到具有高矫顽力的垂直取向L1₀-FePt/Ag颗粒膜.x射线衍射结 果表明，在250 ℃的热基片上溅射，当Ag层厚度d=3—11 nm时，FePt颗粒具有很好的［001］取向，随着Ag层厚度的增加，FePt颗粒尺寸减小.［FePt 2 nm/Ag 9 nm］₁₀经过6 00 ℃真空热处理15 min后，颗粒大小仅约8 nm，垂直矫顽力达到692 kA/m.这种无磁耦合作用的颗粒膜，适合用作超高密度的垂直磁记录介质. 关键词： 磁控溅射 垂直磁记录 纳米颗粒膜 0-FePt/Ag')" href="#">L1₀-FePt/Ag     

室温生长MgO底层诱导(001)取向FePt薄膜的有序化过程对FePt成分的依赖

室温下通过磁控溅射在表面热氧化的Si基片上生长了MgO/Fe_xPt_100-x双层膜和Fe_xPt_100-x单层膜系列样品，Fe_xPt_100-x的原子成分x=48—68.研究了热处理前后不同成分FePt薄膜的晶体结构和磁性的变化，尤其是MgO底层的引入对FePt的晶体结构和磁性的影响 关键词： FePt(001)薄膜 0相')" href="#">L1₀相     

The film thickness dependent thermal stability of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Ag thin films as high-temperature solar selective absorbers

The monolayer Al₂O₃:Ag thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering. The microstructure and optical properties of thin film after annealing at 700 °C in air were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and spectrophotometer. It revealed that the particle shape, size, and distribution across the film were greatly changed before and after annealing. The surface plasmon resonance absorption and thermal stability of the film were found to be strongly dependent on the film thickness, which was believed to be associated with the evolution process of particle diffusion, agglomeration, and evaporation during annealing at high temperature. When the film thickness was smaller than 90 nm, the film SPR absorption can be attenuated until extinct with increasing annealing time due to the evaporation of Ag particles. While the film thickness was larger than 120 nm, the absorption can keep constant even after annealing for 64 h due to the agglomeration of Ag particles. On the base of film thickness results, the multilayer Al₂O₃:Ag solar selective thin films were prepared and the thermal stability test illustrated that the solar selectivity of multilayer films with absorbing layer thickness larger than 120 nm did not degrade after annealing at 500 °C for 70 h in air. It can be concluded that film thickness is an important factor to control the thermal stability of Al₂O₃:Ag thin films as high-temperature solar selective absorbers.     

Enhancement of L10 ordered FePt by Pt buffer layer

L₁₀-ordered FePt thin films prepared by molecular-beam epitaxy on MgO (0 0 1) substrate at 320 °C with different thickness of Pt buffer layer have been investigated. The out-of-plane coercivity increases with increasing thickness of Pt buffer. The maximum values of the long-range order parameter and uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy are 0.72 and 1.78×10⁷ erg/cm³, respectively, for films with 12 nm thick Pt buffer layer, where the c/a ratio (0.976) shows the minimum value. The reason for the enhancement in ordering is due to the proper lattice strains Pt buffer bestows on FePt layer, these strains are equal to the contraction in lattice parameter c and the expansion in a. Studies of angular-dependent coercivity revealed that the magnetization reversal behaviour shifts from a domain-wall motion dominated case towards a near rotational mode with increasing thickness of Pt buffer layer.     

Effect of GePt buffer layer on magnetic properties and microstructure of FePt films

We have explored the interlayer diffusion effect of Ge/FePt, GePt/FePt bilayer on the formation of ordered L1₀ FePt phase. In Ge/FePt bilayer, the Ge₃Pt₂ compound was formed during post annealing at 400^oC for 1.0 h. Diffusion between Ge and FePt layer suppres the formation of ordered L1₀ FePt phase. With Ge₂Pt₃ underlayer, the FePt film was ordered at 400 °C and the in-plane coercivity was 9.3 kOe. The ordering temperature was reduced about 50 °C compared to the single layer FePt film.     

Growth and magneto-optical properties of LiTb(MoO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> crystal

Lithium terbium molybdate (LiTb(MoO₄)₂) single crystal was grown by the Czochralski method. The lattice parameters of the crystal were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The absorption coefficient and the Faraday rotation spectrum (B=1.07 T) were investigated at wavelengths of 400–1500 nm at room temperature. Verdet constants of LiTb(MoO₄)₂ crystal at 532-, 633- and 1064-nm wavelengths were measured by the extinction method. The results show that LiTb(MoO₄)₂ crystal has a larger magneto-optical figure of merit than that of terbium gallium garnet at wavelengths of 600–1500 nm.     

The properties of boron carbide/silicon heterojunction diodes fabricated by Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

p-n heterojunction diodes have been fabricated from boron carbide (B_1–x C _x ) and n-type Si(111). Boron carbide thin films were deposited on Si(111) using Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) from nido-pentaborane (B₅H₉) and methane (CH₄). Composition of boron carbide thin films was controlled by changing the relative partial pressure ratio between nido-pentaborane and methane. The properties of the diodes were strongly affected by the composition and thickness of boron carbide layer and operation temperatures. Boron carbide/silicon heterojunction diodes show rectifying properties at temperatures below 300° C. The temperature dependence of reverse current is strongly dependent upon the energy of the band gap of the boron carbide films.     

缓冲层Ta对FePt薄膜L10有序相转变及矫顽力的影响

制备了Ta/FePt/C系列多层膜，研究了样品在不同温度退火后的磁特性和微结构.实验结果表明，不同厚度的Ta缓冲层具有不同的微结构特征，显著影响FePt层的L1₀有序相的形成及相应的矫顽力.当Ta缓冲层较薄，Ta层为非晶态，且较为粗糙，由此使FePt在界面处产生较多的缺陷并导致较高密度的晶界，在退火过程中，受束缚相对较弱的非晶态的Ta原子比较容易沿FePt的缺陷和晶界处向FePt层扩散，使FePt在相变过程中产生的应力比较容易释放，同时，Ta在扩散过程中产生的缺陷，降低了FePt有序 关键词： FePt薄膜 0相')" href="#">L1₀相 原子扩散     

Structure and magnetic properties of 300-nm-thick FePt films with Hf underlayer

Structure, microstructure, magnetic properties of 300-nm-thick FePt films with 10-nm-thick Hf underlayer have been studied. The experimental results showed that the very thin Hf underlayer could promote the ordering at reduced temperatures by facilitating the nucleation of the order phase, leading to refined grain size and magnetic domain size. Therefore, the permanent magnetic properties of FePt films were enhanced. (BH)_max and H_c of FePt films were greatly enhanced from 5.0–21.0 MGOe and 1.4–11.0 kOe for single layer to 10.2–23.6 MGOe and 4.5–13.2 kOe for Hf-underlayered films annealed in T_a region of 400–600 °C, respectively. Nevertheless, the severe interdiffusion between the Hf and FePt layers at T_a=800 °C resulted in the decreased S, coarsened surface morphology, grain and magnetic domain sizes, and therefore the slightly decreased (BH)_max to 18.0 MGOe.     

Synthesis of ZnAl<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/α-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> complex substrates and growth of GaN films

With the solid phase reaction between pulsed-laser-deposited (PLD) ZnO film and α-Al₂O₃ substrate, ZnAl₂O₄/α-Al₂O₃ complex substrates were synthesized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra show that as the reaction proceeds, ZnAl₂O₄ changes from the initial (111)-oriented single crystal to poly-crystal, and then to inadequate (111) orientation. Corresponding scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicate that the surface morphology of ZnAl₂O₄ transforms from uniform islands to stick structures, and then to bulgy-line structures. In addition, XRD spectra present that ZnAl₂O₄ prepared at low temperature is unstable at the environment of higher temperature. On the as-obtained ZnAl₂O₄/α-Al₂O₃ substrates, GaN films were grown without any nitride buffer using light-radiation heating low-pressure MOCVD (LRH-LP-MOCVD). XRD spectra indicate that GaN film on this kind of complex substrate changes fromc-axis single crystal to poly-crystal as ZnAl₂O₄ layer is thickened. For the single crystal GaN, its full width at half maximum (FWHM) of X-ray rocking curve is 0.4°. Results indicate that islands on thin ZnAl₂O₄ layer can promote nucleation at initial stage of GaN growth, which leads to the (0001)-oriented GaN film.     

Pulsed laser deposition of BaGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>

This paper reports the first results obtained on monobarium gallate thin films grown on silicon and platinum coated substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The influence of oxygen background pressure and substrate (or post-annealing) temperature on the film properties was studied. The films were characterized by XRD, RHEED, AFM, photoelectron and electrical impedance spectroscopy. The structure analysis showed that the films crystallized into a hexagonal phase, most probably into (metastable) α-BaGa₂O₄. Depending on deposition conditions, films with different (from nearly epitaxial to polycrystalline) textures were obtained.     

Interface characterization of B4C‐based multilayers by X‐ray grazing‐incidence reflectivity and diffuse scattering

B₄C‐based multilayers have important applications for soft to hard X‐rays. In this paper, X‐ray grazing‐incidence reflectivity and diffuse scattering, combining various analysis methods, were used to characterize the structure of B₄C‐based multilayers including layer thickness, density, interfacial roughness, interdiffusion, correlation length, etc. Quantitative results for W/B₄C, Mo/B₄C and La/B₄C multilayers were compared. W/B₄C multilayers show the sharpest interfaces and most stable structures. The roughness replications of La/B₄C and Mo/B₄C multilayers are not strong, and oxidations and structure expansions are found in the aging process. This work provides guidance for future fabrication and characterization of B₄C‐based multilayers.