Synthesis and characterization of Co7(OH)12(C2H4S2O6)(H2O)2—a single crystal structural study of a ferrimagnetic layered cobalt hydroxide

A novel layered hydrotalcite-like material, Co₇(H₂O)₂(OH)₁₂(C₂H₄S₂O₆), has been prepared hydrothermally and the structure determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction (a=6.2752(19) Å, b=8.361(3) Å, c=9.642(3) Å, α=96.613(5)°, β=98.230(5)°, γ=100.673(5)°, R1=0.0551). The structure consists of brucite-like sheets where 1/6 of the octahedral sites are replaced by two tetrahedrally coordinated Co(II) above and below the plane of the layer. Ethanedisulfonate anions occupy the space between layers and provide charge balance for the positively charged layers. The compound is ferrimagnetic, with a Curie temperature of 33 K, Curie-Weiss θ of −31 K, and a coercive field of 881 Oe at 5 K.     

Laser-induced voltage characteristics of Bi2Sr2Co2Oy thin films on LaAlO3 substrates

We report the laser-induced voltage (LIV) effects in c-axis oriented Bi₂Sr₂Co₂O_y thin films grown on (0 0 1) LaAlO₃ substrates with the title angle α of 0°, 3°, 5° and 10° by a simple chemical solution deposition method. A large open-circuit voltage with the sensitivity of 300 mV/mJ is observed for the film on 10° tilting LaAlO₃ under a 308 nm irradiation with the pulse duration of 25 ns. When the film surface is irradiated by a 355 nm pulsed laser of 25 ps duration, a fast response with the rise time of 700 ps and the full width at half maximum of 1.5 ns is achieved. In addition, the experimental results reveal that the amplitude of the voltage signal is approximately proportional to sin 2α and the signal polarity is reversed when the film is irradiated from the substrate side rather than the film side, which suggests the LIV effects in Bi₂Sr₂Co₂O_y thin films originate from the anisotropic Seebeck coefficient of this material.     

Intra-cavity second harmonic generation with Nd:YVO4/BIBO laser at 542 nm

We report, for the first time, an efficient intra-cavity second-harmonic generation (SHG) at 1084 nm in a nonlinear optical crystal, BiB₃O₆(BIBO) at the direction of (θ, ?) = (170.1°, 90°), performed with a LD end-pumped cw Nd:YVO₄ laser. With 590 mW diode pump power, a continuous-wave (cw) SHG output power of 19 mW at 542 nm yellow-green color has been obtained using a 1.5 mm-thick BIBO crystal. The optical conversion efficiency was 3.22%. It was found that the output wavelength could be 532 nm, 537 nm or 542 nm according to regulating the angle of BIBO.     

Structure of PtFe/Fe double-period multilayers investigated by X-ray diffraction, reflectivity, diffuse scattering and TEM

Double-period [(Pt 1.7 nm/Fe 0.9 nm)₅Fe(t_Fe2)]₈ and [(Pt 1.8 nm/Fe 0.6 nm)₅Fe(t_Fe2)]₈ multilayers with different thickness t_Fe2 (between 0.23 and 4.32 nm) of the additional Fe layers, prepared by combinatorial sputter deposition, show differences in the mosaic spread and the vertical interfacial roughness when deposited on native or thermally oxidised Si wafers. Simulations of the wide-angle X-ray scattering intensities revealed the presence of interdiffusion in the (Pt/Fe)₅ bilayers and systematic variations of the grain sizes, perpendicular to the film surface, as well as the rms variations of the two superlattice periods with the total film thickness. A comparison of ω-rocking scans shows an increase of the correlated vertical roughness of the (Pt/Fe)₅ multilayers with the total multilayer thickness.     

Magnetization reversal dynamics in Au/Co/Au(111) ultrathin films: Effect of roughness of the buffer layer

We present a study of the magnetization reversal dynamics in ultrathin Au/Co/Au films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, for a Co thickness of 0.5, 0.7 and 1 nm. In these films, the magnetization reversal is dominated by domain nucleation for t_Co=0.5, 0.7 nm and by domain wall propagation for t_Co=1 nm. The prevalence of domain nucleation for the thickness range 0.5-0.7 nm is different from results reported in the literature, for the same system and for the same thickness range, where the magnetization reversal took place mainly by domain wall motion. We attribute this difference to the effect of roughness of the Au buffer layer on the morphology of the magnetic layer.     

Perpendicular anisotropy and magneto-optical Kerr effect of (Ni/Pd) multilayers

Nickel film, with total thickness t_Ni in the range 1000-2000 Å, is known to exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), if the film has been deposited at room temperature. This phenomenon is due to the magneto-elastic (ME) effect. The same is also true for the (Ni/Pd)_n multilayers, where n is the period (n≥3). In this paper, we have made two kinds of multilayers: one, which does not have a Pd cap layer, belongs to the A-group, and the other, which has, belongs to the B-group. The polar Kerr rotation θ_k, the polar Kerr ellipticity ε_k, and the figure of merit (θ_k)²R, where R is the reflectance, were measured for the two wavelengths, i.e. λ=633 and 442 nm, respectively. The effective PMA energy K_⊥ was measured from the vibrating sample magnetometer. It was found that the most favorable multilayer for the magneto-optical (MO) application exists among the A-group samples: i.e. the t_Ni=1300 Å, t_Pd=50 Å (seed layer), and n=1 sample. We obtained θ_k=−9.76 min, ε_k=−9.13 min, (θ_k)²R=1.51 (rad)² at λ=442 nm, and K_⊥=3.21×10⁶ erg/cc for this optimal multilayer. Finally, the effects of the Pd seed layer on PMA and MO are also studied.     

Synthesis and hydrolysis of octacalcium phosphate and its characterization by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) powder was produced by precipitating 250 mL Ca(CH₃COO)₂ 0.04 M into 750 L of phosphate solution (5 mmol Na₂HPO₄ and 5 mmol NaH₂PO₄) at a constant temperature of 60 °C and pH 5, which resulted in a dry white powder. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, and the electron diffraction pattern (SAED) all showed only OCP. Hydroxyapatite (HAP) was directly obtained through hydrolysis of the powder. The total transformation of OCP into HAP was registered over a period of 6 h. During the first 30 min of hydrolysis both phases coexisted. The two phases and the OCP-HAP interface were structurally analyzed through XRD and TEM. OCP parameters (calculated by the Rietveld method) are a=19.70, b=9.50, c=6.85 Å; α=90.03°, β=92.48°, γ=108.32° (triclinic P-1) with average crystal size of 13.5±0.2 nm, while HAP parameters were a=9.45, c=6.87 Å (hexagonal P6₃/m) with average crystal size of 16.9±0.2 nm.     

Alloy formation of Co/Ni/Pt(1 1 1)

The initial growth and alloy formation of ultrathin Co films deposited on 1 ML Ni/Pt(1 1 1) were investigated by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). A sequence of samples of d_Co Co/1 ML Ni/Pt(1 1 1) (d_Co = 1, 2, and 3 ML) were prepared at room temperature, and then heated up to investigate the diffusion process. The Co and Ni atoms intermix at lower annealing temperature, and Co-Ni intermixing layer diffuses into the Pt substrate to form Ni-Co-Pt alloys at higher annealing temperature. The diffusion temperatures are Co coverage dependent. The evolution of UPS with annealing temperatures also shows the formation of surface alloys. Some interesting LEED patterns of 1 ML Co/1 ML Ni/Pt(1 1 1) show the formation of ordered alloys at different annealing temperature ranges. Further studies in the Curie temperature and concentration analysis, show that the ordered alloys corresponding to different LEED patterns are Ni_xCo_1−xPt and Ni_xCo_1−xPt₃. The relationship between the interface structure and magnetic properties was investigated.     

Influence of Pt thickness on magnetization reversal processes in (Pt/Co)3 multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy

We present a detailed study of the magnetization reversal in perpendicularly magnetized (Pt/Co)₃ multilayers with different values of the platinum interlayer thickness t_Pt. To study the magnetization reversal in our samples we combined measurements of relaxation curves with the direct visualization of domain structures. Magnetization reversal was dominated by domain wall propagation for t_Pt=1 nm and by domain nucleation for t_Pt=0.2 nm, while a mixed process was observed for t_Pt=0.8 nm. We interpret our results within the framework of a model of thermally activated reversal where a distribution of activation energy barriers is taken into account. The reversal process was correlated with the energy barrier distribution.     

Effect of substrate temperature and annealing temperature on the structural, electrical and microstructural properties of thin Pt films by rf magnetron sputtering

Influence of both substrate temperature, T_s, and annealing temperature, T_a, on the structural, electrical and microstructural properties of sputtered deposited Pt thin films have been investigated. X-ray diffraction results show that as deposited Pt films (T_s = 300, 400 °C) are preferentially oriented along (1 1 1) direction. A little growth both along (2 0 0) and (3 1 1) directions are also noticed in the as deposited Pt films. After annealing in air (T_a = 500-700 °C), films become strongly oriented along (1 1 1) plane. With annealing temperature, average crystallite size, D, of the Pt films increases and micro-strain, e, and lattice constant, a₀, decreases. Residual strain observed in the as deposited Pt films is found to be compressive in nature while that in the annealed films is tensile. This change in the strain from compressive to tensile upon annealing is explained in the light of mismatch between the thermal expansion coefficients of the film material and substrate. Room temperature resistivity of Pt films is dependant on both the T_s and T_a of the films. Observed decrease in the film resistivity with T_a is discussed in terms of annihilation of film defects and grain-boundary. Scanning electron microscopic study reveals that as the annealing temperature increases film densification improves. But at an annealing temperature of ∼600 °C, pinholes appear on the film surface and the size of pinhole increases with further increase in the annealing temperature. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis, existence of a thin layer of chemisorbed atomic oxygen is detected on the surfaces of the as deposited Pt films. Upon annealing, coverage of this surface oxygen increases.     

High-frequency permeability of electroplated CoNiFe and CoNiFe–C alloys

We have investigated CoNiFe and CoNiFe–C electrodeposited by pulse reverse plating (PRP) and direct current (DC) techniques. CoNiFe(PRP) films with composition Co_59.4Fe_27.7Ni_12.8 show coercivity of 95 A m⁻¹ (1.2 Oe) and magnetization saturation flux (μ₀M_s) of 1.8 T. Resistivity of CoNiFe (PRP) is about 24 μΩ cm and permeability remains almost constant μ_r′ ∼475 up to 30 MHz with a quality factor (Q) larger than 10. Additionally, the permeability spectra analysis shows that CoNiFe exhibits a classical eddy current loss at zero bias field and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) when biased with 0.05 T. Furthermore, a crossover between eddy current and FMR loss is observed for CoNiFe-PRP when baised with 0.05 T. DC and PRP plated CoNiFe–C, which have resistivity and permeability of 85, 38 μΩ cm, μ_r′=165 and 35 with Q>10 up to 320 MHz, respectively, showed only ferromagnetic resonance losses. The ferromagnetic resonance peaks in CoNiFe and CoNiFe–C are broad and resembles a Gaussian distribution of FMR frequencies. The incorporation of C to CoNiFe reduces eddy current loss, but also reduces the FMR frequency.     

Influence of Co doping content on its valence state in Zn1−xCoxO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) thin films

Zn_1−xCo_xO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) thin films grown on Si (1 0 0) substrates were prepared by a sol-gel technique. The effects of Co doped on the structural, optical properties and surface chemical valence states of the Zn_1−xCo_xO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XRD results show that the Zn_1−xCo_xO films retained a hexagonal crystal structure of ZnO with better c-axis preferred orientation compared to the undoped ZnO films. The optical absorption spectra suggest that the optical band-gap of the Zn_1−xCo_xO thin films varied from 3.26 to 2.79 eV with increasing Co content from x = 0 to x = 0.15. XPS studies show the possible oxidation states of Co in Zn_1−xCo_xO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05), Zn_0.90Co_0.10O and Zn_0.85Co_0.15O are CoO, Co₃O₄ and Co₂O₃, with an increase of Co content, respectively.     

Structure and high pressure behaviour of organic crystals based on aromatically substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles

The crystalline structure of a new compound containing the 1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety, 4-(5-methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2yl-)-N,N′-dimethyl-phenylamine (MODPA) was determined. It shows a monoclinic structure with space group P2₁/c and lattice parameters: a=1.02997(6), b=0.64840(4), c=1.58117(10) nm and β=99.4820(10)°. To study the intermolecular interactions in oxadiazole containing organic crystals, X-ray studies on MODPA and 2,5-diphenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole (DPO) were performed up to 5 GPa at room temperature. The Murnaghan equation of state is used to describe the compression behaviour of both substances. From these results, the bulk modulus and its pressure derivative were determined. The values obtained are: K₀=6.3 GPa and K′₀=6.8 for MODPA and K₀=7.3 GPa and K′₀=6.7 for DPO. Additionally, measurements under increasing temperature at ambient pressure were carried out to evaluate the thermal expansion coefficient: α=1.8×10⁻⁴ K⁻¹ for MODPA and α=1.9×10⁻⁴ K⁻¹ for DPO.     

Effect of Co underlayer on soft magnetic properties and microstructure of FeCo thin films

High saturation magnetization soft magnetic FeCo (=Fe₆₅Co₃₅) films were prepared using a thin Co underlayer. The FeCo/Co films exhibited a well-defined in-plane uniaxial anisotropy with easy axis coercivity (H_ce) of 10 Oe and hard axis coercivity (H_ch) of 3 Oe, and a half reduction of H_c with H_ce=4.8 Oe and H_ch=1.0 Oe was obtained when the composition was adjusted to 25 at% Co. The effective permeability of the films remains flat around 250 to 800 MHz. The saturation magnetostriction was 5.2×10⁻⁵ and the intrinsic stress was 0.8 GPa in FeCo single layer, both were slightly reduced by Co underlayer. The Co underlayer changed the preferred orientation of the FeCo films from (2 0 0) to (1 1 0) but more significantly, reduced the average grain size from ∼74 to ∼8.2 nm. It also reduced the surface roughness from 2.351 to 0.751 nm. The initial stage and interface diffusion properties were examined by TEM and XPS.     

Non-classical properties of superposition of two coherent states having phase difference ?

Recently Ahmad et al. [Optik 2009;120;68; Optics Commun. 2007;271:162; Chin. Phys. Lett. 2006;23:2438] have studied non-classical properties of superposition of two-coherent states of the form, |ψ〉=K[|α〉+eiξ|αei?〉] for the special cases with values ? = π/2,  3π/2,  and π, and for arbitrarily fixed values of ξ. We point out that some of their results are special cases of our recently published work [Physica A 319, 305 (2003); Physica A 341, 201(2004)] on the most general superposition of two arbitrary coherent states of the form ∼(Z₁|α〉+Z₂|β〉), where X_1,2, α and β are arbitrary and only restriction on these is the normalization condition for the superposed state. To make our point we first obtain results for (i) squeezing of the most general Hermitian operator X_θ = X₁ cos θ + X₂ sin θ, with X₁ + iX₂ = a, is the annihilation operator, and (ii) sub-Poissonian photon statistics, for the superposed state |ψ〉 with a general ? and, then obtain results of Ahmad et al. for ? = π/2,  3π/2,  and π and for θ = 0 and π/2. It is interesting to note that the arbitrarily fixed values ξ = |α|² and −|α|² for ? = π/2 and 3π/2, respectively by Ahmad et al. are the values at which we get maximum squeezing working in a rigorous way.     

Spin-wave resonance and magnetic anisotropy in FePt thin films

Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR) measurements at room temperature and X-band microwave frequency were performed on polycrystalline FePt thin films with face-centered cubic structure. With the external field perpendicular to the film plane, the absorption fields H_n of the odd and even spin-wave resonance modes n detected for the Fe_0.44Pt_0.56(45 nm)/Si(1 0 0) and Fe_0.51Pt_0.49(105 nm)/Pt(55 nm)/MgO(1 0 0) films, were found to obey the well-known H_n×n² ratio, giving for these films the exchange stiffness constant values of 3.9×10⁻⁸ and 4.4×10^–7 erg/cm, respectively. The study of the out-of-plane angular dependence of the absorption field of the uniform FMR mode allowed the measurement of the effective magnetic anisotropy constants of 5.3×10⁶ , 6.4×10⁶ , and 6.7×10⁶ erg/cm³, related, respectively, to the [1 1 1], [1 0 0], and [1 1 0] textures present in the films.     

The impact of annealing temperature and time on the electrical performance of Ti/Pt thin films

In this study, we focus on the influence of annealing time t_PDA (i.e. 30 min and 630 min) on the room-temperature resistivity of electron-beam-evaporated titanium/platinum thin films when exposed to thermal loads up to temperatures T_PDA of 700 °C. The titanium has a fixed thickness of 5 nm and serves as an adhesion layer. The thickness d_f,Pt of the platinum top layer is varied between 21 and 97 nm. Up to annealing temperatures of 450 °C, the film resistivity of the bi-layer system is linearly correlated with the reciprocal platinum film thickness independent of t_PDA, as expected from the size effect. At t_PDA = 30 min, the change in intrinsic film stress dominates the electrical behavior in this annealing regime, predominantly at large d_f,Pt values. Compared to t_PDA = 630 min, however, the increase in resistivity especially at low platinum film thickness is substantially larger demonstrating that titanium starts to diffuse at these long annealing times even at moderate temperatures. At T_PDA = 600 °C, the diffusion of titanium into the top layer leads to an enhanced increase in film resistivity ρ_f, especially at low platinum thicknesses and low annealing times, as the mean penetration depth of diffused titanium is under these conditions in order of d_f,Pt. Above T_PDA = 600 °C, ρ_f is slightly increased at t_PDA = 30 min. At t_PDA = 630 min, however, the film resistivity is decreased at d_f,Pt < 58 nm. This is attributed to grain growth and re-crystallization effects. Furthermore, the mean penetration depths of titanium substantially exceed d_f,Pt resulting predominantly in Ti_xO_y formation on the top film surface and hence, having low impact on ρ_f.     

On the thermal stability of Co2Z hexagonal ferrites for low-temperature ceramic cofiring technologies

Co₂Z hexaferrite Ba₃Co₂Fe₂₄O₄₁ was prepared by a mixed oxalate co-precipitation route and the standard ceramic technology. XRD studies show that at T<1300 °C different ferrite phases coexist with the M-type hexaferrite as majority phase between 1000 and 1100 °C and the Y-type ferrite at 1230 °C. The Z-type material has its stability interval between 1300 and 1350 °C. Both synthesis routes result in almost single-phase Z-type ferrites after calcination at 1330 °C, intermediate grinding and sintering at 1330 °C. The permeability of Co₂Z-type ferrite of about μ=20 is stable up to several 100 MHz, with maximum losses μ′′ around 700 MHz. Addition of 3 wt% Bi₂O₃ as sintering aid shifts the temperature of maximum shrinkage down to 950 °C and enables sintering of Z-type ferrite powders at 950 °C. However, the permeability is reduced to μ=3. It is shown here for the first time that Co₂Z ferrite is not stable under these conditions; partial thermal decomposition into other hexagonal ferrites is found by XRD studies. This is accompanied by a significant decrease of permeability. This shows that Co₂Z hexagonal ferrite is not suitable for the fabrication of multilayer inductors for high-frequency applications via the low-temperature ceramic cofiring technology since the material is not compatible with the typical process cofiring temperature of 950 °C.     

Rovibrational spectrum and potential energy surface of the N2-N2O van der Waals complex

The rovibrational spectrum of the N₂-N₂O van der Waals complex has been recorded in the N₂O ν₁ region (∼1285 cm⁻¹) using a tunable diode laser spectrometer to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet. The observed transitions together with the data observed previously in the N₂O ν₃ region are analyzed using a Watson S-reduced asymmetric rotor Hamiltonian. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants for the ground and excited vibrational states are accurately determined. The band-origin of the spectrum is determined to be 1285.73964(14) cm⁻¹. A restricted two-dimensional intermolecular potential energy surface for a planar structure of N₂-N₂O has been calculated at the CCSD(T) level of theory with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets and a set of mid-bond functions. With the intermolecular distance fixed at the ground state value R = 3.6926 Å, the potential has a global minimum with a well depth of 326.64 cm⁻¹ at θ_N2 = 11.0° and θ_N2O = 84.3° and has a saddle point with a barrier height of 204.61 cm⁻¹ at θ_N2 = 97.4° and θ_N2O = 92.2°, where θ_N2(θ_N2O) is the enclosed angle between the N-N axis (N-N-O axis) and the intermolecular axis.     

Soft magnetic properties of FeCo films with Co underlayer

Bilayered Fe₆₅Co₃₅ (=FeCo)/Co films were prepared by facing targets sputtering with 4πM_s∼24 kg. The soft magnetic properties of FeCo films were induced by a Co underlayer. H_c decreased rapidly when the Co underlayer was 2 nm or more. The films showed well-defined in-plane uniaxial anisotropy with the typical values of H_ce=10 Oe and H_ch=3 Oe, respectively. High frequency characteristics of the films show the films can work at 0.8 GHz with real permeability as high as 250.