Structural and Magnetic Characterization of Evaporated Fe/Zr Multilayers

概要

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Fe/Zr multilayers were prepared by alternate vapor deposition of pure Zr and Fe at a rate of 0.1-0.2 nm s^<-1> in a high-vacuum electron-gun evaporation system. The thickness of the constituent metals was varied from 1 nm to 12 nm controlled by an in situ quartz microbalance. The evaporated Fe/Zr films were investigated by transmission electron microscopy for structural properties, Rutherford backscattering and X-ray diffraction for thickness and periodicity, and vibrating-sample magnetometer for magnetic characterization. Experimental results showed that a rapid transformation from the polycrystalline to amorphous state in the iron layers occurred with decreasing Fe layer thickness in the Fe/Zr multilayers. The transformation was influenced by the Fe and Zr layer thicknesses and their thickness ratio in the films. The magnetization of the multilayers decreased significantly with decreasing Fe layer thickness, accompanying the amorphous Fe phase formation. The amorphous Fe in Fe/Zr multilayers still exhibited ferromagnetic behavior, and the observed average magnetization was 0.41 μB for Fe(1.0 nm)/Zr(9.0 nm) multilayers in a magnetic field of 10 kOe. The possible mechanisms responsible for these phenomena are also discussed.
社団法人応用物理学会の論文
1999-03-15