Phase evolution in {sup 57}Fe/Al multilayers studied through dc magnetization, conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy

Fe/Al multilayer thin films with an overall atomic concentration ratio of Fe:Al=1:2 have been prepared by ion-beam sputtering. Phase formation and microstructural evolution with thermal annealing have been studied by x-ray reflectivity, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, dc magnetizat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied physics 2008-12, Vol.104 (12)
Main Authors: Jani, Snehal, Lakshmi, N., Venugopalan, K., Sebastian, Varkey, Reddy, V. R., Gupta, Ajay, Lalla, N. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ANNEALING
BORON ALLOYS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
ELECTRONS
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
ION BEAMS
IRON
IRON 57
IRON ALLOYS
MAGNETIZATION
MATERIALS SCIENCE
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOESSBAUER EFFECT
REFLECTIVITY
SPUTTERING
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
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Summary:Fe/Al multilayer thin films with an overall atomic concentration ratio of Fe:Al=1:2 have been prepared by ion-beam sputtering. Phase formation and microstructural evolution with thermal annealing have been studied by x-ray reflectivity, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, dc magnetization, and conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy. These studies show that although the starting composition is Al rich, the intermixing of Fe and Al at the interfaces leads to the formation of a magnetic Fe{sub 3}Al-like region at the interface. Thus, the magnetic contribution in the as-deposited multilayer structure (MLS) is not only from pure Fe but also from an Fe{sub 3}Al-like region formed at the interface. On annealing the MLS, a stable nonmagnetic MLS consisting of intermetallic B2Fe{sub 50}Al{sub 50} separated by thin Al layers is formed. Further annealing only induces better ordering of Fe{sub 50}Al{sub 50} and does not destroy the MLS.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/1.3050336