Microstructures of NiFe/nonmagnetic metal spacer/FeMn films and their influences on exchange coupling

Ta/NiFe/nonmagnetic metal spacer/FeMn films were prepared by magnetron sputtering. The dependences of the exchange coupling field (Hex) between an antiferromagnetic FeMn layer and a ferromagnetic NiFe layer on the thickness of nonmagnetic metal spacer layers were system-atically studied. The results show that the Hex dramatically decreases with the increase in the thicknesses of Bi and Ag spacer layers. However, it gradually decreases with the increase in the thickness of a Cu spacer layer. For a Cu space layer, its crystalline structure is the same as that of NiFe and the lattice parameters of them are close to each other. The Cu layer and FeMn layer will epitaxially grow on the NiFe layer in succession, so the (111) texture of the FeMn layer will not be damaged. As a result, the Hex gradually decreases with the deposition thickness of a Cu layer. For an Ag space layer, its crystalline structure is the same as that of NiFe, but its lattice parameter is very different from that of NiFe. Thus, neither an Ag nor an FeMn layer will epitaxially grow on the NiFe layer and the (111) texture of the FeMn layer will be damaged. The Hex rapidly decreases with the increase in the deposition thickness of an Ag layer. For a Bi spacer layer, not only its crystalline structure but also its lattice parameter is greatly different from that of NiFe. For the same reason, the Bi and FeMn layer cannot epitaxially grow on the NiFe layer. The texture of the FeMn layer will also be damaged. Therefore, the Hex rapidly decreases with the increase in the deposition thick-ness of a Bi layer as well. However, the research result of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indi-cates that a very small amount of surfactant Bi atoms will migrate to the FeMn layer surface when they are deposited on the NiFe/FeMn interface. Thus, the Hex will hardly decrease.

磁性多层膜的X射线光电子能谱研究

用射频 /直流磁控溅射法制备了NiOx/Ni81Fe19和Co/AlOx/Co磁性薄膜。利用X射线光电子能谱研究了NiOx 对Ni81Fe19耦合交换场Hex与NiOx 化学状态的关系以及Co/AlOx/Co磁性薄膜中AlOx 对Co膜的覆盖状况。结果表明 :Hex的大小只与 +2价镍有关 ,单质镍和 +3价镍对Hex没什么作用 ;在Co/AlOx/Co磁性薄膜中 ,Al层将Co膜完全覆盖所需要的最小厚度为 2 .0nm ,用角分辨XPS测出的Al氧化厚度为 1

XPS Studies of Chemical States of NiO/NiFe Interface

Ta/NTiO/NiFe/Ta multilayers were prepared by radio frequency reactive and dc magnetron sputtering. The exchange coupling field between NiO and NiFe reached 9.6 x 10(3) A/m. The compositions and chemical states at the interface region of NiO/NiFe were studied using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique, The results show that there are two thermodynamically favorable reactions at NiO/NiFe interface: NiO+Fe = Ni + FeO and 3NiO+2Fe =3 Ni+Fe2O3. The thickness of the chemical reaction area estimated by angle-resolved XPS was about 1-1.5 nm. These interface reaction products appear magnetic defects, and the exchange coupling field H-ex and the coereivity H-c of NiO/NiFe are affected by these defects.

Interface chemical states of NiO/NiFe films and their effects on magnetic properties

Ta/NiOx/Ni81Fe19/Ta multilayers were prepared by rf reactive and dc magnetron sputtering.The exchange coupling field (Hex) and the coercivity (Hc) of NiOx/Ni81Fe19 as a function of the ratio of Ar to O2 during the deposition process were studied.The composition and chemical states at the interface region of NiOx/NiFe were also investigated using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique.The results show that the ratio of Ar to O2 has great effect on the nickel chemical states in NiOx film.When the ratio of Ar to O2 is equal to 7 and the argon sputtering pressure is 0.57 Pa,the x value is approximately 1 and the valence of nickel is +2.At this point,NiOx is antiferromagnetic NiO and the corresponding Hex is the largest.As the ratio of Ar/O2 deviates from 7,the exchange coupling field (Hex) will decrease due to the presence of magnetic impurities such as Ni+3 or metallic Ni at the interface region of NiOx/NiFe,while the coercivity (Hc) will increase due to the metallic Ni.XPS studies also show that there are two thermodynamically favorable reactions at the NiO/NiFe interface: NiO+Fe=Ni+FeO and 3NiO+2Fe=3Ni+Fe2O3.These interface reaction products are magnetic impurities at the interface region of NiO/NiFe.It is believed that these magnetic impurities would have effect on the exchange coupling field (Hex) and the coercivity (Hc) of NiO/NiFe.

Magnetic property and interlayer segregation in spin valve metal multilayers

The experimental results show that the exchange coupling field of NiFe/FeMn for Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for the spin valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta.In order to find out the reason,the composition and chemical states at the surfaces of Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm),Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(4nm) and Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) were studied using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).The results show that no elements from lower layers float out or segregate to the surface for the first and second samples.However,Cu atoms segregate to the surface of Ta(12nm)/NiFe(7nm)/Cu(3nm)/NiFe(5nm) multilayers,i.e.Cu atoms segregate to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers.We believe that the presence of Cu atoms at the interface of NiFe/FeMn is one of the important factors causing the exchange coupling field of Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers to be higher than that of Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers.