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Interlayer Segregation of Cu Atoms in Metal Multilayers |
| YU Guang-Hua1;LI Ming-Hua1;ZHU Feng-Wu1;JIANG Hong-Wei2;LAI Wu-Yan2;CHAI Chun-Lin3 |
| 1Department of Materials Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083
2Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080
3Institute of Semiconductor, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083
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| Cite this article: |
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YU Guang-Hua, LI Ming-Hua, ZHU Feng-Wu et al 2001 Chin. Phys. Lett. 18 1245-1248 |
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Abstract The experimental results show that the exchange coupling field Hex of NiFe/FeMn for Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers is higher than that for the spin valve multilayers Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta. The composition and chemical states at the surface of Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm), Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/Cu(4 nm) and Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/ Cu(3 nm)/NiFe(5 nm) were studied by using the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that no element from the underlayers floats out or segregate to the surface for Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm), Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/ Cu(4 nm). However, Cu atoms segregate to the surface of Ta(12 nm)/NiFe(7 nm)/Cu(3 nm)/NiFe(5 nm) multilayers, i.e. to the NiFe/FeMn interface for Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers. The authors believe that the presence of Cu atoms at the interface of NiFe/FeMn is one of the important factors which will cause the exchange coupling field Hex of Ta/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers to be higher than that of Ta/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/FeMn/Ta multilayers.
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| Keywords:
68.35.Dv
75.30.Ds
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Published: 01 September 2001
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| PACS: |
68.35.Dv
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(Composition, segregation; defects and impurities)
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75.30.Ds
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(Spin waves)
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