Synthesis of Thin Niobium Films on Silicon and Study of Their Superconducting Properties in the Dimensional Crossover Region

Technical Physics - Niobium films with a thickness of 4–100 nm are synthesized on a silicon substrate under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Measurements of the electrical resistance show a high...     

Femtosecond Optical and Magneto-Optical Spectroscopy Study of Magnetic and Electronic Inhomogeneities in a Pd0.94Fe0.06 Thin Film

The results of a femtosecond optical and magneto-optical spectroscopy study of a thin epitaxial film of a low-temperature magnetically soft Pd_0.94Fe_0.06 alloy on a ({dy001})-MgO substrate are reported. The photoinduced demagnetization and magnetization recovery times are determined. The latter increases critically at approaching the ferromagnetic ordering temperature T_C = 190 K from below. It is shown that the reflectivity dynamics after a photoexcitation pulse evolves from a two-exponential in the paramagnetic phase to a four-component at 80 K < T < T_C, simplifying to a three-component at T < 50 K. According to our interpretation, such an evolution, along with the manifestation of an additional increasing component in the magnetic response at 80 K < T < T_C, indicates a magnetic and electronic inhomogeneity of the film associated with the distribution of local iron concentrations. The fraction of small-scale inclusions of the paramagnetic phase is estimated as ≈10 vol %.

     

FMR Investigation of the Magnetic Anisotropy in Films Synthesized by Co<Superscript>+</Superscript> Implantation into Si

Thin ferromagnetic films with the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy were synthesized by Co⁺ implantation into single-crystal silicon in the magnetic field. It was concluded that the formation of the induced magnetic anisotropy is due to the directional atomic pair ordering (Neel–Taniguchi model). The synthesized films were studied by the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) method in the temperature range from 100 to 300 K. The FMR linewidth is almost independent of temperature, which is in agreement with the Raikher model describing the magnetic resonance of uniaxial magnetic particles. It is found that the temperature dependence of the anisotropy constant is linear. This dependence can be associated with the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the Si (111) substrate and the ion-beam-synthesized cobalt silicide films.     

FMR Studies of Ultra-Thin Epitaxial Pd<Subscript>0.92</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>0.08</Subscript> Film

Magnetic anisotropies of 20 nm epitaxial film of palladium–iron alloy Pd_0.92Fe_0.08 grown on the (001) MgO substrate were studied. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) were exploited to determine magnetic parameters of the film. It was found that the synthesized film reveals cubic anisotropy with tetragonal distortion. The simulated magnetic hysteresis loops, obtained utilizing the magnetic anisotropy constants taken from the FMR spectra analysis, agree well with those measured by VSM.     

Magnetic Properties of Thin Metal-Polymer Films Prepared by High-Dose Ion-Beam Implantation of Iron and Cobalt Ions into Polyethylene Terephthalate

Thin metal-polymer composite films have been prepared by high-dose ion-beam implantation of Fe⁺ and Co⁺ ions into polyethylene terephthalate. The implantation of 40 keV ions at room temperature with doses from 2 · 10¹⁶ to 4 · 10¹⁷ cm⁻² have been performed, with the ion current density of 4 μA/cm². The effects of implantation dose on the film morphology and crystal structure have been investigated via atomic force and magnetic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties of synthesized structures have been studied by ferromagnetic resonance and with a vibrating-sample magnetometer. It was established that the properties of ion-implanted samples strongly depend on both the implantation dose and the type of implanted ions. The implantation dose at which the magnetic phase is formed for iron-implanted samples is significantly lower than that for cobalt-implanted ones. At high implantation doses due to polymer sputtering metal-containing layers are formed close to the sample surface for both ions. In this dose range the magnetic properties of implanted samples changed dramatically due to particle oxidation. The coercivity of synthesized layers reaches 180 and 300 Oe for iron- and cobalt-implanted samples, respectively. Authors' address: Vladimir Yu. Petukhov, Kazan Physical-Technical Institute, Sibirskii trakt 10/7, 420029 Kazan, Russian Federation     

Change in the sign of the Kerr effect in ion-beam-synthesized Fe3Si films

Ion-beam-synthesized Fe₃Si thin films are studied using the magneto-optical Kerr effect, ferromagnetic resonance, electron diffraction, and Auger spectroscopy. A change in the direction of rotation of the plane-polarized light as a function of film-synthesis conditions is discovered when the meridional Kerr effect is recorded. It is shown that the observed effect is related to the presence of thin interference films with different thicknesses on the surfaces of the magnetic layers.     

Effect of implantation regimes of silver ions on the structure and optical properties of zinc-oxide nanocrystalline films

Thin (about 270 nm) nanocrystalline films of zinc oxide (ZnO) are obtained on quartz substrates using ion sputtering and irradiated with Ag⁺ ions at an energy of 30 keV and relatively high fluences at ion current densities of 4, 8, and 12 µA/cm². The X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and optical spectroscopy are used to study the effect of irradiation dose and ion current density on the structural modification and optical properties of the ZnO films. Nontrivial dependences of the structural and optical parameters of the films on the ion irradiation regimes are due to radiation heating and film sputtering under the action of the ion beam, diffusion of impurity, formation of silver nanoparticles in the irradiated layer at high implantation fluences, and the diffusion of implanted impurity at relatively high ion current densities.     

Modified coatings based on chlorosulfonated polyethylene

The results of investigations of the effect of solid petroleum resins, epoxide oligomers, and type of curing agent upon the properties of varnishes and coatings based on chlorosulfonated polyethylene are given. It is shown that the use of cycloaliphatic isocyanates and amine-containing organic silicon compounds allows one to obtain coatings with a complex of high processing and operating characteristics.     

Optical properties of ZnO and Al2O3 implanted with silver ions

ZnO and Al₂O₃ samples implanted with 30-keV silver ions with fluences in the interval (0.25–1.00) × 10¹⁷ ions/cm² are studied by the method of optical photometry in the visible part of the spectrum. The optical transmission spectra of the implanted samples exhibit a selective band associated with surface plasmon resonance absorption of silver nanoparticles. The intensity of this band nonmonotonically depends on the implantation fluence. The silver ion depth distribution in the samples is calculated. It is shown that the non-monotonicity observed in experiments is due to an increase in the substrate sputtering ratio with increasing implantation fluence. It is found that vacuum thermal annealing of the implanted Al₂O₃ layers up to 700°C causes a considerable narrowing of the plasmon absorption bandwidth without a tangible change in its intensity. At higher annealing temperatures, the plasmon absorption band broadens and its intensity drops. Annealing of the ZnO films under such conditions causes their complete vaporization.