Effect of strain relaxation of oxidation-treated SiGe epitaxial thin films and its nanomechanical characteristics

In this study, we examined the effect of high-temperature oxidation treatment on the SiGe epitaxial thin films deposited on Si substrates. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and nanoindentation techniques were employed to investigate the crystallographic structure, surface roughness, and hardness (H) of the SiGe thin films, respectively. The high-temperature oxidation treatment led to Ge pileup at the surface of the SiGe thin films. In addition, strain relaxation occurred through the propagation of misfit dislocations and could be observed through the cross-hatch pattern (800-900 °C) and SiGe islands (1000 °C) at the surface of the SiGe thin films. Subsequent hardness (H) measurement on the SiGe thin films by continuous penetration depth method indicated that the phenomenon of Ge pileup caused a slightly reduced H (below 50 nm penetration depth), while relaxation-induced defects caused an enhanced H (above 50 nm penetration depth). This reveals the influence of composition and defects on the structure strength of high-temperature oxidation-treated SiGe thin films.     

Anomalous magnetoresistance of thin copper films

Thin copper films exhibit the anomalous magnetoresistance (AMR), which depends on the magnetic field orientation versus the film plane and is due to electron localization. Spin-orbit interaction and spin-flip scattering by paramagnetic impurities strongly affect the character of the field and temperature AMR dependences.     

Anomalous optical constants of thin films

The explanation of anomalous optical constants in thin chemically distinct layers on substrates offered by Plumb is re-examined and extended. The model invokes the concept of the space charged boundary layer and treats the charge carrier population as a free-electron gas to derive the optical behaviour of thin surface films. The implication of the space charge means that the optical constants of a dielectric film on a metal will vary over a distance directly proportional to the dielectric constant of the film and inversly proportional to the concentration of the electrons at the metal/film interface. Similarly as the temperature increases this space charge region should extend to larger distances from the interface.     

Anomalous electron diffusion in irradiated thin gold films

We report on topographical and electrical properties of an evaporated (as-prepared) thin gold film before and after irradiation with 200 keV Ar⁺ ions. TEM-investigations reveal for the as-prepared film voids and channels of small size, and a pronounced percolative structure with large scale inhomogeneities after irradiation. Magnetoresistance measurements carried out before and after irradiation yield the temperature dependence of the phase coherence lengthL , when analysing the experimental data within current theories for 2-dimensional (2d) weak localization. The results can be explained by normal electron diffusion if-for the as-prepared film-L is larger than the size of structural inhomogeneities, and-for the irradiated film-by anomalous electron diffusion ifL becomes smaller. The analysis ofL (T) for the irradiated film yields critical exponents for 2d-percolation, in good agreement with predictions of percolation theory.     

Anomalous Hall effect in perpendicular CoFeB thin films

Our recent research achievements in the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy （PMA） properties of the CoFeB sand- wiched by MgO and tantalum layers are summarized. We found that the PMA behaviors of Ta/CoFeB/MgO and MgO/CoFeB/Ta thin films are different. The larger PMA in the latter film is related to the lower magnetization of CoFeB deposited on MgO. Furthermore, we have demonstrated a large anomalous Hall effect in perpendicular CoFeB thin fihn. Our results show large anomalous Hall resistivity, large longitudinal resistivity, and low switching field can be achieved, all at the same time, in the perpendicular CoFeB thin film. Anomalous Hall effect with high and linear sensitivity is also found in an MgO/CoFeBFFa thin film with a thick MgO layer, which opens a door tbr future device applications of perpendicular ferromagnetic thin films.     

Enhanced strain relaxation induced by epitaxial layer growth mode of MgO thin films

Growth of MgO films on silicon substrate was conducted by KrF excimer pulsed-laser ablation system. Two kinds of growth mode were revealed in situ by reflection high energy electron diffraction. It was found that the layer growth mode of MgO thin films could remarkably reduce the misfit strain originated from the different lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficiency between MgO films and Si. An enhanced strain relaxation was discovered for MgO films, which were grown with the layer growth mode, in the film thickness range of 40-100 nm. The value of critical thickness for the formation of misfit dislocation agrees well with the calculated one. This exceptional phenomenon should be ascribed to the layer growth mode of epitaxial MgO films.     

Microwave relaxation and phenomenological damping in thin films

The relation between relaxation timeT, frequency swept resonance linewidth , and phenomenological damping is given by =2/T=(_x+_y), where _x,y = (H ₀+(N _x,y –N _z ) 4M _s ).N _x,y,z are sample demagnetizing factors,H ₀ is the effectivez-directed static field, 4M _s is the saturation induction, and is the gyromagnetic ratio. This fairly simple but general relation shows that the numerical relation between damping and relaxation at a given frequency can be quite different for in-plane and normally magnetized thin films. For thesame loss processes, so thatT andT are equal, is larger than . For permalloy films at 1 GHz, =15 . In addition, the conventional field swept linewidth, H=/, is simply related to only forN _x =N _y . Both and H are geometry dependent and do not provide an intrinsic measure of the relaxation. These results are confirmed by both resonance and transient response experiments. The large values of for large angle switching may also be partially explained by this analysis because the relevant magnetization motion is due to a demagnetizing field normal to the film plane.Visiting scientist on leave fromRaytheon Company, U.S.A. Supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.     

X-ray and neutron reflectivity analysis of thin films and superlattices

X-ray and neutron reflectivity measurements provide a wealth of information on thickness and interfacial properties on the nanometer scale. This method is therefore well suited for the study of nano-structured thin films and superlattices. Neutrons provide a different contrast between the elements than X-rays and, in addition, are sensitive to the magnetization in the sample. Using polarized neutrons, magnetic as well as chemical profiles can be probed. In this review a basic introduction into the theory of X-ray and neutron reflectivity is provided along with some recent examples including the oxidation of Fe films and the structural and magnetic properties of Co/Cu superlattices.     

Evolution of stress and strain relaxation of Ge and SiGe alloy films on Si(0 0 1)

The growth of Ge and SiGe alloy films on Si substrates has attracted considerable interest in the last years because of their importance for optoelectronic devices as well as Si-based high speed transistors. Here we give a short overview on our recent real time stress measurements of Ge and SiGe alloy films on Si(0 0 1) performed with a sensitive cantilever beam technique and accompanied by structural investigations with atomic force microscopy. Characteristic features in the stress curves provide detailed insight into the development and relief of the misfit strain. For the Stranski–Krastanow system Ge/Si(0 0 1) as well as for SiGe films with Si contents below 20%, the strain relaxation proceeds mainly into two steps: (i) by the formation of 3D islands on top of the Ge wetting layer; (ii) via misfit dislocations in larger 3D islands and upon their percolation.     

Anomalous pinning behaviour in thin Nb3Ge films

Results concerning the pinning behaviour of thin Nb₃Ge films prepared by sputtering and evaporation onto hot sapphire substrates are reported. The validity of scaling laws in the range of magnetic fields up to 13 T has been verified. We have found that the pinning dependence in evaporated films obeys these laws, however, the maximum of the volume pinning force occurs at constant magnetic field value for sputtered Nb₃Ge films. A different microstructure of these two types of films is made responsible for the anomalous pinning behaviour described.     

Strain relaxation and vacancy creation in thin platinum films

Synchrotron based combined in situ x-ray diffractometry and reflectometry is used to investigate the role of vacancies for the relaxation of residual stress in thin metallic Pt films. From the experimentally determined relative changes of the lattice parameter a and of the film thickness L the modification of vacancy concentration and residual strain was derived as a function of annealing time at 130 °C. The results indicate that relaxation of strain resulting from compressive stress is accompanied by the creation of vacancies at the free film surface. This proves experimentally the postulated dominant role of vacancies for stress relaxation in thin metal films close to room temperature.     

Anomalous properties of thin films of ferromagnetic superconductors

Anomalous magnetic and superconducting behavior which originates from the electromagnetic interaction between the persistent current and the rare earth magnetic moments is theoretically predicted in thin films of ferromagnetic superconductors. It is shown that the ferromagnetic ordering can coexist with superconductivity for films of thickness smaller than the London penetration depth. The ferromagnetic phase transition is of the second order and its critical temperature depends on the thickness of the film.     

Confinement-induced relaxation process in thin films of cis-polyisoprene

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy is employed to investigate the molecular dynamics of cis-1,4-polyisoprene (PI) in thin layers down to thicknesses comparable with the chain extension. The segmental and the normal mode dynamics of the PI chains is found not to depend on the layer thickness. Additionally, a novel confinement-induced relaxation process is detected. It is assigned to fluctuations of terminal subchains which are formed due to the immobilization of chain segments at an interface. Most of the experimental findings can be well described by simulations of the chains as ideal random walks.     

Intrinsic nonlinear ferromagnetic relaxation in thin metallic films

We propose an intrinsic mechanism for ferromagnetic relaxation in thin films that can dominate competing linear mechanisms even for rapidly relaxing metals. In particular, we use an analytic theory of four-magnon scattering to demonstrate rapid decay for technologically important systems involving high moment materials subject to large rotations. A micromagnetic simulation is used to verify the results.     

Glass transitions and dynamics in thin polymer films: dielectric relaxation of thin films of polystyrene

The glass transition temperature T(g) and the temperature T(alpha) corresponding to the peak in the dielectric loss due to the alpha process have been simultaneously determined as functions of film thickness d through dielectric measurements for polystyrene thin films supported on glass substrate. The dielectric loss peaks have also been investigated as functions of frequency for a given temperature. A decrease in T(g) was observed with decreasing film thickness, while T(alpha) was found to remain almost constant for d>d(c) and to decrease drastically with decreasing d for d相似文献   

Spin-wave dispersion in ferromagnetic semiconductor superlattices and thin films in the narrow-band limit

Bulk and surface magnetic excitations of the semi-infinite ferromagnetic semiconductor (FMS) superlattices and thin films described by Heisenberg and s-d model are analyzed using the transfer matrix method, developed in our previous work. Results are discussed in the narrow-band limit. The spin-wave frequencies for the semi-infinite narrow-band semiconductors are analyzed in both low- and high-frequency regions. Energies of localized excitations are compared to the bulk and the results of Green function formalism. Depending on the parameters of the system, the surface spin waves appear as “acoustical” and “optical”, and there are only some quantitative difference in the high-frequency region, comparing our method and the Green function method. In the framework of the same methodology, bulk and surface magnetic excitations of more complicated superlattices and thin films made of the FMS superlattices are analyzed in terms of dependence of the system parameters. It is shown that the s-d interaction governs the behavior of the systems. Dependence on bulk and surface parameters is discussed.     

Ferromagnetic resonance and relaxation in evaporated GdCo amorphous thin films

Ferromagnetic resonance of amorphous Gd_1?xCo_x films was studied at 36 GHz in order to obtain the dependence of effective anisotropy field, g-factor and relaxation parameters on chemical composiiton in the interval 0.8<x<1.0.