Structural and Magnetoresistance Studies of Ni/Co Multilayers

1997 ◽  
Vol 475 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Freitag ◽  
J.M. Ström-Olsen ◽  
Z. Altounian ◽  
R.W. Cochrane

ABSTRACTA study of ferromagnetic/ferromagnetic Ni/Co multilayers grown by DC magnetron sputtering with component layer thicknesses between 40 and 5 Å is presented. Structural characterization by small-angle x-ray reflectivity reveals high-quality layered structures with a well-defined composition modulation along the film growth direction. Quantitative interpretation of the superlattice structure parameters, including interface roughness and intermixing, has been performed by modelling the x-ray reflectivity data. Measurements of the magnetotransport properties of these multilayers indicate that the magnetoresistance (MR) effect, Ap ∼ 0.35 μΩ-cm, is roughly constant over the entire compositional range. We attribute the origin of this effect to anisotropie magnetoresistance (AMR). The MR ratio Ap/p, which is as high as 3.0% in a SiO2/(Ni40Å/Co5Å)×6 multilayer with saturation field ∼ 80 Oe, is therefore more strongly dependent on the zero-field resistivity. By fitting a semi-classical model of conduction in multilayers to the resistivity thickness variation, we extracted the mean free paths for conduction in each of the constituent layers as well as the contribution of interfacial scattering in the superlattice structure.

1995 ◽  
Vol 382 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Bian ◽  
Z. Altounian ◽  
J. O. Ström-Olsen ◽  
M. Sutton ◽  
R. W. Cochrane

ABSTRACTThe structure of magnetron-sputtered Ni80Co20/Cu multilayershas been investigated by low and high-angle X-ray diffractometry. Low-angle x-ray reflectivity data reveal well-defined compositional modulation along the film growth direction for a wide Cii thickness range of 5-40 Å. The data analysis, based on anl optical model, shows that interfacial mixing is limited to ∼3-4 Å As the number of bilayers increased from 8 to 100, the interface roughness increased by a factor of 3. Better layered structures were found for relatively thick Cu layers (tCu>10Å). The high-angle diffraction data were analyzed using a trapezoidal model. The results indicate that the films have a polycrystalline structure with a preferred (111)orientation with coherent interfaces of ∼ 100-240 Ådepending on the Cu layer thickness. The relatively large expansion of (111) spacings in NiCo alloy layers gives rise to the lower atomic ordering in NiCo/Cu multilayers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 1428-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Svechnikov ◽  
Dmitry Pariev ◽  
Andrey Nechay ◽  
Nikolay Salashchenko ◽  
Nikolay Chkhalo ◽  
...  

An extended model for the reconstruction of multilayer nanostructures from reflectometry data in the X-ray and extreme ultraviolet ranges is proposed. In contrast to the standard model approach, where the transitional region is defined in advance as a specific function, the transition layer is sought as a linear combination of several functions at once in the extended model. This allows one to describe a much wider class of multilayer structures with different dominant physical mechanisms for the formation of transition regions. The extended model occupies an intermediate position between the classical model approach and the so-called model-free methods. The efficiency of the described method is illustrated in detail in numerical simulations and in a real experiment on the annealing of a multilayer Mo/Be mirror.


1995 ◽  
Vol 384 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Freitag ◽  
X. Bian ◽  
Z. Altounian ◽  
J.O. Ström-Olsen ◽  
R.W. Cochrane

ABSTRACTFerromagnetic/ferromagnetic Ni/Co multilayers were prepared by DC-magnetron sputtering with component layer thicknesses ranging from 40 Å down to 5 Å. Structural characterizations by x-ray diffractometry show a well-defined compositional modulation along the film growth direction and a preferred (111) crystalline orientation. A longitudinal magnetoresistance ΔR/R over 2.7% with a sensitivity of ~0.11%/Oe was measured at room temperature in small fields less than 20 Oe. The highest room temperature sensitivity obtained in this system was 0.16%/Oe. Magnetoresistive sensitivity was found to vary inversely with the number of bilayers in the multilayers. The magnetic anisotropy of the films as determined by MOKE magnetometry is correlated to the magnetoresistance and indicative of an AMR effect.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. N. Rao ◽  
Maheswar Nayak ◽  
G. S. Lodha ◽  
S. K. Rai ◽  
A. K. Srivastava ◽  
...  

Large area Mo/Si multilayer (ML) mirrors with high reflectivity are fabricated using magnetron sputtering deposition system. Thin film growth is optimized for film roughness, density, and interface quality by changing process parameters through fabrication of thin films. Mo/Si MLs are fabricated with varying thickness ratio, number of layer pairs, and periodicity from 0.3 to 0.45, 5 to 65, and 40 to 100 Å, respectively. The samples are characterized using hard X-ray reflectivity and transmission electron microscopy. Soft X-ray performance tests of MLs are done by soft X-ray reflectivity using Indus-1 synchrotron radiation. ML coating with thickness errors of ~0.03% per layer and interface roughness in the range of 2 to 5 Å has been realized. The lateral variation of the periodicity is controlled within 0.5 Å over the  mm2 area of the plane substrate by using substrate motion and appropriate masking arrangement. Maximum variation of periodicity from run to run is less than 0.5 Å. Peak reflectivity of ~63% at wavelength of ~127 Å is achieved for incident angle of 71 degree.


1994 ◽  
Vol 358 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Chason ◽  
T.R. Guilinger ◽  
M.J. Kelly ◽  
T.J. Headley ◽  
A.J. Howard

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the evolution of porous silicon (PS) layers at the early stages of growth is important for determining the mechanism of PS film growth and controlling the film properties. We have used X-ray reflectivity (XRR) to determine the evolution of layer thickness and interfacial roughness during the growth of thin PS layers (< 200 nm) prepared by electrochemical anodization. The porous layer grows at a constant rate for films as thin as 15 nm indicating a very short incubation period during which the surface may be electropolished before the PS structure begins to form. Interface roughness measurements indicate that the top surface of the film remains relatively smooth during growth while the roughness of the PS/silicon interface increases only slightly with film thickness. The XRR results are compared with results obtained from the same films by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and gravimetry.


Author(s):  
Y. H. Liu

Ordered Ni3Fe crystals possess a LI2 type superlattice similar to the Cu3Au structure. The difference in slip behavior of the superlattice as compared with that of a disordered phase has been well established. Cottrell first postulated that the increase in resistance for slip in the superlattice structure is attributed to the presence of antiphase domain boundaries. Following Cottrell's domain hardening mechanism, numerous workers have proposed other refined models also involving the presence of domain boundaries. Using the anomalous X-ray diffraction technique, Davies and Stoloff have shown that the hardness of the Ni3Fe superlattice varies with the domain size. So far, no direct observation of antiphase domain boundaries in Ni3Fe has been reported. Because the atomic scattering factors of the elements in NijFe are so close, the superlattice reflections are not easily detected. Furthermore, the domain configurations in NioFe are thought to be independent of the crystallographic orientations.


2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Smit ◽  
D.L. Williamson ◽  
M.C.M. van de Sanden ◽  
R.A.C.M.M. van Swaaij

AbstractExpanding thermal plasma CVD (ETP CVD) has been used to deposit thin microcrystalline silicon films. In this study we varied the position at which the silane is injected in the expanding hydrogen plasma: relatively far from the substrate and close to the plasma source, giving a long interaction time of the plasma with the silane, and close to the substrate, resulting in a short interaction time. The material structure is studied extensively. The crystalline fractions as obtained from Raman spectroscopy as well as from X-ray diffraction (XRD) vary from 0 to 67%. The average particle sizes vary from 6 to 17 nm as estimated from the (111) XRD peak using the Scherrer formula. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and flotation density measurements indicate void volume fractions of about 4 to 6%. When the samples are tilted the SAXS signal is lower than for the untilted case, indicating elongated objects parallel to the growth direction in the films. We show that the material properties are influenced by the position of silane injection in the reactor, indicating a change in the plasma chemistry.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mily Kundu ◽  
Santanu Pakhira ◽  
Renu Choudhary ◽  
Durga Paudyal ◽  
N. Lakshminarasimhan ◽  
...  

AbstractTernary intermetallic compound $${\text {Pr}}_2 {\text {Co}}_{0.86} {\text {Si}}_{2.88}$$ Pr 2 Co 0.86 Si 2.88 has been synthesized in single phase and characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analysis, magnetization, heat capacity, neutron diffraction and muon spin rotation/relaxation ($$\mu$$ μ SR) measurements. The polycrystalline compound was synthesized in single phase by introducing necessary vacancies in Co/Si sites. Magnetic, heat capacity, and zero-field neutron diffraction studies reveal that the system undergoes magnetic transition below $$\sim$$ ∼ 4 K. Neutron diffraction measurement further reveals that the magnetic ordering is antiferromagnetic in nature with an weak ordered moment. The high temperature magnetic phase has been attributed to glassy in nature consisting of ferromagnetic clusters of itinerant (3d) Co moments as evident by the development of internal field in zero-field $$\mu$$ μ SR below 50 K. The density-functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the low temperature magnetic transition is associated with antiferromagnetic coupling between Pr 4f and Co 3d spins. Pr moments show spin fluctuation along with unconventional orbital moment quenching due to crystal field. The evolution of the symmetry and the crystalline electric field environment of Pr-ions are also studied and compared theoretically between the elemental Pr and when it is coupled with other elements such as Co. The localized moment of Pr 4f and itinerant moment of Co 3d compete with each other below $$\sim$$ ∼ 20 K resulting in an unusual temperature dependence of magnetic coercivity in the system.


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