Comparison of magnetoreflection from CoFe-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> multilayer and granular films in the infrared spectral region

The paper reports on a study of light reflection and of the magnetorefractive effect in CoFe-Al₂O₃ multilayer and granular films in the IR region at λ = 2.5–25 μm. These films exhibit a noticeable tunneling magnetoresistance of 5–8%. It has been found that the spectra of the magnetorefractive effect have features at λ ≈ 6.7 and ≈8.1 μm originating from phonon mode excitation in the dielectric matrix. It has been established that the magnitude of the magnetorefractive effect exceeds 2.5% for multilayer films, a value substantially larger than that for granular ones. Magnetoreflection has been analyzed for two film systems with roughly equal tunneling magnetoresistance. It has been shown that magnetoreflection for granular films can be described in a first approximation by the modified Hagen-Rubens relation, while the enhanced effect exhibited by multilayer films requires inclusion of interference of the magnetooptical response.     

Optical and magnetooptical properties of FePt-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> magnetic nanocomposites

The magnetic, optical, and magnetooptical properties of granular (FePt)_1?x(SiO₂)_x nanocomposites in the disordered state and after heat treatment were studied. The magnetooptical response of samples in which the concentration of the metallic component approached the percolation threshold was observed to become considerably enhanced. Modeling transverse Kerr effect (TKE) spectra in a straightforward effective medium approximation provided a qualitative fit to the experimental data over a broad concentration range. The dependences of the Kerr effect on the SiO₂ concentration in the nanocomposite are not monotonic and exhibit a sharp break near the percolation threshold. An analysis of the field dependences of the TKE and magnetization curves revealed that structural changes associated with ordering in annealed FePt films occur only in nanocomposites with fairly large grains.     

Magnetoreflection and magnetooptical Kerr effect in La<Subscript>2/3</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>1/3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> films at room temperature

Results of studies of magnetooptical Kerr effect and magnetoreflection of natural light in La_2/3Ba_1/3MnO₃/SrTiO₃ films of different thickness are presented. The Kerr effect was shown to be the most prominent in visible and near IR range; magnetoreflection was found to achieve its maximum of about 10% in the mid-IR range near the room temperature. Physical mechanisms defining the value and sign of the effects and the influence of the thin-film state on the magnetooptical properties are discussed. Magnetoreflection is estimated in the framework of the magnetorefractive effect theory.     

Optical and magnetooptical properties of CoFeB/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and CoFeZr/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> granular magnetic nanostructures

The optical and magnetooptical properties of the new granular nanocomposites (CoFeB)/(SiO₂) and (CoFeZr)/(Al₂O₃), which are grains of amorphous ferromagnetic alloys embedded in dielectric matrices, have been studied. The dependence of the optical, magnetooptical, and magnetic properties of the nanocomposites on their qualitative and quantitative composition, as well as on the conditions of their preparation, was investigated. Spectra of the dielectric functions ε = ε₁ ? iε₂ were obtained by the ellipsometric method in the range 0.6–5.4 eV. Above 4.2 eV, the absorption coefficient of the (CoFeB)/(SiO₂) composites was found to be close to zero for all magnetic-grain concentrations. The polar Kerr effect measured at a photon energy of 1.96 eV in dc magnetic fields of up to 15 kOe reaches values as high as 0.25°–0.3° for these nanocomposites and depends only weakly on the conditions of preparation. On the other hand, the (CoFeZr)/(Al₂O₃) nanostructures reveal a considerable difference in the concentration dependences of the Kerr effect between samples prepared in a dc magnetic field and in zero field.     

Effect of an interface boundary on the magnetooptical and magnetotransport properties of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> heterostructures

The optical, magnetooptical (Kerr effect and magnetotransmission), and magnetotransport properties of La_2/3Ca_1/3MnO₃/La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃ and La_2/3Ca_1/3MnO₃/SrTiO₃/La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃ heterostructures on SrTiO₃ substrates are studied. The contribution of the interface boundary to the magnetotransmission is typical of a material with a transitional composition. It is found that a 2-nm-thick SrTiO₃ spacer does not influence the shape and position of the magnetotransmission peak in a field normal to the surface of the heterostructure but increases the contribution of the upper layer to the magnetotransmission in the Voigt geometry and also enhances the magnetoresistance that is due to the tunneling of spin-polarized carriers through the spacer. The Kerr spectra taken of the heterostructures are typical of single-layer single-crystal films.     

Magnetotransport characteristics of strained La<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> epitaxial manganite films

The electrical and magnetic characteristics of La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ (LSMO) epitaxial manganite films are investigated by different methods under conditions when the crystal structure is strongly strained as a result of mismatch between the lattice parameters of the LSMO crystal and the substrate. Substrates with lattice parameters larger and smaller than the nominal lattice parameter of the LSMO crystal are used in experiments. It is shown that the behavior of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance for the films in the low-temperature range does not depend on the strain of the film and agrees well with the results obtained from the calculations with allowance made for the interaction of electrons with magnetic excitations in the framework of the double-exchange model for systems with strongly correlated electronic states. Investigations of the magneto- optical Kerr effect have revealed that an insignificant (0.3%) orthorhombic distortion of the cubic lattice in the plane of the NdGaO₃(110) substrate leads to uniaxial anisotropy of the magnetization of the film, with the easy-magnetization axis lying in the substrate plane. However, LSMO films on substrates (((LaAlO₃)_0.3+(Sr₂AlTaO₆)_0.7)(001)) ensuring minimum strain of the films exhibit a biaxial anisotropy typical of cubic crystals. The study of the ferromagnetic resonance lines at a frequency of 9.76 GHz confirms the results of magnetooptical investigations and indicates that the ferromagnetic phase in the LSMO films is weakly inhomogeneous.     

Magnetoreflection and Magnetostriction in Ferrimagnetic Spinels CoFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>

It is shown that magnetoreflectance of natural light up to +4% exists in magnetostrictive ferrimagnetic spinel CoFe₂O₄ single crystal; this effect is associated with a change of the fundamental absorption edge, the impurity absorption band, and the phonon spectrum under the action of a magnetic field. The correlation between the field dependences of magnetoreflectance and magnetostriction has been established. The physical mechanisms responsible for the spectral and field peculiarities of magnetoreflection have been explained. It is shown that the magnetorefractive effect in CoFe₂O₄, which is associated with magnetoelastic properties of the spinel, amounts to +1.5 × 10^–3 in magnetic fields exceeding the saturation field. Analysis of magnetooptical and magnetoelastic data has made it possible to estimate deformation potential as Ξ _u = 20 eV for the valence band of the spinel.     

Growth of Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> films on the Si(111) surface covered by a thin SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> layer

Magnetite polycrystalline films are grown by variously oxidizing a Fe film on the Si(111) surface covered by a thin (1.5 nm) SiO₂ layer. It is found that defects in the SiO₂ layer influence silicidation under heating of the Fe film. The high-temperature oxidation of the Fe film results in the formation of both Fe₃O₄ and iron monosilicide. However, the high-temperature deposition of Fe in an oxygen atmosphere leads to the growth of a compositionally uniform Fe₃O₄ film on the SiO₂ surface. It is found that such a synthesis method causes [311] texture to arise in the magnetite film, with the texture axis normal to the surface. The influence of the synthesis method on the magnetic properties of grown Fe₃O₄ films is studied. A high coercive force of Fe₃O₃ films grown by Fe film oxidation is related to their specific morphology and compositional nonuniformity.     

Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and magnetic features of Fe-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> granulated films

The classical solid-phase reaction between Fe₂O₃ and Al layers in thin films is initiated. It is shown that, in the reaction products, Fe granulated films are formed in the Al₂O₃ nonconducting matrix. Analysis of the reaction equation demonstrates that the volume fraction of iron in the granulated films is less than the percolation threshold. This determines the magnetic properties of iron clusters in a superparamagnetic state. It is assumed that the nanocrystalline microstructure exists in thin films after solid-phase reactions proceeding under conditions of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis.     

Effect of thermal treatment on the thermoelectric properties of Sb<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Bi<Subscript>1.1</Subscript>Te<Subscript>2.9</Subscript>Se<Subscript>0.1</Subscript> solid solution thin films

The effect thermal treatment in a vacuum has on the thermoelectric properties of Sb_0.9Bi_1.1Te_2.9Se_0.1 solid solution thin films obtained via ion-beam sputtering in an argon atmosphere is considered. It is established that the specific resistance and thermopower are determined by the type and concentration of intrinsic point defects of the Sb_0.9Bi_1.1Te_2.9Se_0.1 solid solution. The power factor values are found to be comparable to those of nanostructured materials based on (Bi,Sb)₂(Te,Se)₃ solid solutions.     

Ion beam sputter deposition of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> films using oxygen ions

TiO₂ thin films were grown by ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) using oxygen ions, with the ion energy and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle, and scattering angle) being varied systematically. Metallic Ti and ceramic TiO₂ served as target materials. The thin films were characterized concerning thickness, growth rate, surface topography, structural properties, mass density, and optical properties. It was found that the scattering geometry has the main impact on the film properties. Target material, ion energy, and ion incidence angle have only a marginal influence. Former studies on reactive IBSD of TiO₂ using Ar and Xe ions reported equivalent patterns. Nevertheless, the respective ion species distinctively affects the film properties. For instance, mass density and the refractive index of the TiO₂ thin films are remarkably lower for sputtering with oxygen ions than for sputtering with Ar or Xe ions. The variations in the thin film properties are tentatively attributed to the angular and the energy distribution of the film-forming particles, especially, to those of the backscattered primary particles.     

Structure,the lattice dynamic,and the dielectric characteristics of Sr<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Ba<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>6</Subscript> films

Solid solution Sr_0.5Ba_0.5Nb₂O₆ films have been synthesized on a (111)Pt/(001)Si substrate by rf deposition in an oxygen atmosphere. The depolarized Raman spectra, the structure, and the dielectric characteristics of the films have been studied over a wide temperature range. It is found that the films were singlephase, had the tetragonal tungsten bronze structure, and had a pronounced axial texture with axis 001 directed perpendicular to the substrate surface. It is shown that the film material undergoes a diffuse phase transition to the state of a relaxor ferroelectric in the temperature range 300–425 K. Possible reasons of the regularities observed are discussed.     

Preparation and investigation of composite SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> films

SiO₂-TiO₂ films [Si:Ti = 1:(0.06–2.3)] are obtained by the sol-gel method. The structural and photoluminescent properties of the films and powders heat-treated at different temperatures are studied. It is shown that after 700°C the composite consists of TiO₂ crystallites that are structurally similar to anatase and distributed in an amorphous SiO₂ matrix. The photoluminescence spectra have maxima at 450–500 nm. The photoluminescence intensity depends on the treatment temperature and TiO₂ content. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii Vol. 74, No. 3, pp. 357–361, May–June, 2007.     

Study of the dynamics and mechanisms of deformation of thin chalcogenide As(Ge)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Se<Subscript>3</Subscript> films by nanoindentation

The mechanical properties of As₂Se₃ and Ge₂Se₃ thin films have been studied by the method of quasi-static nonoindentation. The mechanisms of formation and recovery of the indentations in the studied materials have been analyzed under conditions of their local loading. It has been revealed that the deformation mechanism of the chalcogenide films changes in going from As₂Se₃ to Ge₂Se₃. It has been found that, during deformation of the As₂Se₃ film under the indenter, the accumulation of plastic deformation prevails, and, for the Ge₂Se₃ film, the substantial mechanism is the relaxation of its deformation.     

Effect of thermal treatment on the electrotransport properties of thin-film In<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, ZnO materials and the multilayer (In<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/ZnO)<Subscript>83</Subscript> heterostructure

The effect heat treatment has on the electrotransport mechanisms in films of ZnO and In₂O₃, and in a multilayer (In₂O₃/ZnO)₈₃ structure obtained via ion-beam sputtering, is studied. It is shown that there is a mechanism of weak electron localization in the In₂O₃ and (In₂O₃/ZnO)₈₃ samples. The relaxation processes that occur during the heat treatment of In₂O₃ films are found to increase the length of elastic electron scattering, but to reduce this parameter in multilayer heterostructures.     

Photocatalytic properties of nanocrystalline TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin films doped with Tb

In this work photocatalytic properties of TiO₂ thin films doped with different amount of Tb have been described. Thin films were prepared by high energy reactive magnetron sputtering process. Comparable photocatalytic activity has been found for all doped TiO₂ thin films, while different amounts of Tb dopant (0.4 and 2.6 at. %) results in either an anatase or rutile structure. It was found that the terbium dopant incorporated into TiO₂ was also responsible for the amount of hydroxyl groups and water particles adsorbed on the thin film surfaces and thus photocatalytic activity was few times higher in comparison with results collected for undoped TiO₂ thin films.     

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in single-crystal Co<Subscript>50</Subscript>Pt<Subscript>50</Subscript>/MgO(100) films

The crystal structure and hysteretic magnetic properties of equiatomic single-crystal CoPt films applied on MgO substrates by magnetron sputtering, as well as modification of these properties by thermal annealing, are studied. Heat-treated films of thickness in the range 2<d≤16 nm exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A correlation between the crystalline anisotropy constant of the CoPt films and the order parameter of the LI₀ superstructure in these alloys is found. The effect of a single-crystalline MgO substrate on the structure and magnetic properties of equiatomic CoPt films is revealed.     

Physical properties of Ba<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films

The behavior of material constants in ferroelectric Ba_0.8Sr_0.2TiO₃ thin films is studied depending on the misfit strain at room temperature in the context of nonlinear thermodynamic potential of the phenomenological theory. Some constants are found to undergo drastic changes with the alternating strain at the interfaces. The gathered results allow one to evaluate the material constants for a specific film and to outline the direction in searching the ways to synthesize films with the needed properties.     

Structure and Properties of SiO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> Films Prepared by Chemical Etching of Amorphous Alloy Ribbons

The structure and the physical properties of amorphous SiO _x films prepared by chemical etching of an iron-based amorphous ribbon alloy have been studied. The neutron diffraction and also the atomicforce and electron microscopy show that the prepared visually transparent films have amorphous structure, exhibit dielectric properties, and their morphology is similar to that of opals. The samples have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry, Raman and IR spectroscopy before and after their heat treatment. It is found that annealing of the films in air at a temperature of 1273 K leads to a change in their chemical compositions: an amorphous SiO₂ compound with inclusions of SiO₂ nanocrystals (crystobalite) forms.     

An investigation into ultra-thin pseudobinary oxide (TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>x</Subscript>(Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>1-x</Subscript> films as high-<Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis> gate dielectrics

As potential gate dielectric materials, pseudobinary oxide (TiO₂)_x(Al₂O₃)_1-x (0.1≤x≤0.6) films (TAO) were deposited on Si (100) substrates by pulsed-laser deposition method and studied systematically via various measurements. By a special deposition process, including two separate steps, the TAO films were deposited in the form of two layers. The first layer was deposited at room temperature and the second layer was completed at the substrate temperature of 400 °C. Detailed data show that the properties of the TAO films are closely related to the ratio between TiO₂ and Al₂O₃. The existence of the first layer deposited at room temperature can effectively restrain the formation of the interfacial layer. And according to the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy performed on the films, no other information belonging to the silicon oxide could be observed. For the (TiO₂)_0.4(Al₂O₃)_0.6 film, the best result has been achieved among all samples and its dielectric constant is evaluated to be about 38. It is valuable for the amorphous TAO film as one of the promising dielectric materials for high-k gate dielectric applications. PACS 77.55.+f; 73.40.Qv; 81.15.Fg