CoPt–Al 2 O 3 Nanocomposite Films: Synthesis,Structure, and Magnetic Properties

The structure and magnetic properties of CoPt–Al2O3 nanocomposite films synthesized by the annealing of Al/(Co3O4 + Pt) bilayers on a MgO(001) substrate at 650°C in vacuum are investigated. The synthesized composite films contain ferromagnetic CoPt grains with an average size of 25–45 nm enclosed in a nonconducting Al2O3 matrix. The saturation magnetization (Ms ~ 330 G) and coercivity (Hc ≈ 6 kOe) of the films are measured in the film plane and perpendicular to it. The obtained films are characterized by a spatial rotational magnetic anisotropy, which makes it possible to arbitrarily set the easy magnetization axis in the film plane or perpendicular to it using a magnetic field stronger than the coercivity (H > Hc).     

Structural and Magnetic Characteristics of Nanogranular Co–Al2O3 Single- and Multilayer Films Formed by the Solid-State Synthesis

The results of structural and magnetic investigations of nanogranular Co–Al₂O₃ films formed from Co₃O₄/Al thin-film layered structures upon vacuum annealing are reported. The Co₃O₄/Al films have been obtained by sequential reactive magnetron sputtering of a metallic cobalt target in a medium consisting of the Ar + O₂ gas mixture and magnetron sputtering of an aluminum target in the pure argon atmosphere. It is shown that such a technique makes it possible to obtain nanogranular Co–Al₂O₃ single- and multilayer thin films with a well-controlled size of magnetic grains and their distribution over the film thickness.

     

Phase transformations in Mn/Fe(001) films: Structural and magnetic investigations

The solid-phase synthesis in epitaxial Mn/Fe(001) bilayer film systems with 24 at % of Mn has been shown to start at a temperature of 220°C with the formation of a γ-austenite lattice and the Mn and Fe films react completely under annealing to 600°C. In the sample cooling process after annealing below 220°C, the γ austenite undergoes a martensitic transformation to an oriented ∈(100) martensite. When the annealing temperature is increased above 600°C, Mn atoms migrate from the γ-lattice, which becomes unstable, and the film is partially again transformed to the epitaxial Fe(001) layer. The solid-phase synthesis in Mn/Fe(001) bilayer nanofilms and multilayers is assumingly determined by the inverse ε → γ martensitic transformation in the Mn-Fe system. The existence of a new low-temperature (～220°C) structure transition in the Mn-Fe system with a high iron content is assumed.     

Structural and magnetic features of solid-phase transformations in Mn/Bi and Bi/Mn films

Solid-phase transformations at different annealing temperatures in Mn/Bi (Mn on Bi) and Bi/Mn (Bi on Mn) films have been studied using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements. It has been shown that the synthesis of the α-MnBi phase in polycrystalline Mn/Bi films begins at a temperature of ~120°C and the Mn and Bi layers react completely at 300°C. The resulting α-MnBi(001) samples have a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (K _u ? 1.5 × 10⁷ erg/cm³) and a coercive force H > H _C ~ 3 kOe. In contrast to Mn/Bi, the ferromagnetic α-MnBi phase in Bi/Mn films is not formed even at annealing processes up to 400°C and Mn clusters are formed in a Bi melt. This asymmetry in phase transformations occurs because chemosorbed oxygen existing on the surface of the Mn film in Bi/Mn films suppresses a solid-phase reaction between Mn and Bi. The analysis of the results obtained implies the existence of new low-temperature (~120°C) structural transformation in the Mn–Bi system.     

Co–In2O3 Nanocomposite Films: Synthesis and Structural and Magnetic Properties

Physics of the Solid State - The structural and magnetic properties of granular Co–In2O3 nanocomposite films formed by vacuum annealing of In/Co3O4 film bilayers at a temperature of...     

Magnetic and structural properties of Fe87Pt13–Al2O3 composite thin films synthesized by solid-state reactions

Physics of the Solid State - The structural and magnetic properties of Fe87Pt13 films synthesized by solid-state reactions and Fe87Pt13–Al2O3 composite films fabricated by aluminothermy are...     

Phase transformations in the Mn-Ge system and in Ge x Mn1 ? x diluted semiconductors

Results of an X-ray diffraction study as well as magnetic and electrical measurements of the solid-state reactions in Ge/Mn polycrystalline films of an 80/20 atomic composition have been presented. It has been shown that the ferromagnetic Mn₅Ge₃ phase is formed first on the Ge/Mn interface after annealing at ??120°C. The further increase in the annealing temperature to 300°C leads to the beginning of the synthesis of the Mn₁₁Ge₈ phase, which becomes dominating at 400°C. The existence of new structural transitions in the Mn-Ge system in the region of ??120 and ??300°C has been predicted on the basis of the presented results and results obtained earlier when studying solid-state reactions in different film structures. The supposition about the general chemical mechanisms of the synthesis of the Mn₅Ge₃ and Mn₁₁Ge₈ phases during the solid-state reactions in the Ge/Mn films of the 80/20 atomic composition and the phase separation in Ge _x Mn_{1 ? x} (x > 0.95) diluted semiconductors has been substantiated.     

High rotatable magnetic anisotropy in MnBi thin films

The variations of the structural and magnetic properties of Bi/Mn/Bi and Mn/Bi/Mn trilayer film systems of equiatomic composition in the process of vacuum annealing are studied. The annealing of Bi/Mn/Bi films at a temperature of 270°C for an hour results in the synthesis of the well-studied highly oriented low-temperature LT-MnBi(001) phase with the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy K _u ～ 1.1 × 10⁷ erg/cm³ and coercivity H _C ～ 1.5 kOe. In contrast to Bi/Mn/Bi, polycrystalline LT-MnBi nanoclusters are formed in Mn/Bi/Mn films under the same annealing conditions. A high rotatable magnetic anisotropy exceeding the shape anisotropy is detected in the films under consideration: the easy axis of anisotropy with the inclusion of the delay angle in magnetic fields above the coercivity H > H _C = 9.0 kOe can be oriented in any spatial direction. It is shown that the nature of rotatable magnetic anisotropy is due to the structural coexistence of epitaxially coupled LT-MnBi and QHTP-Mn_1.08Bi phases. The reported experimental results indicate the existence of a new class of ferromagnetic film media with the spatially tunable easy axis.