Papers by Keyword: Ultrathin Films

Abstract: Thin Mo films in the thickness range between 1 and 164 nm have been deposited on high-quality quartz and Corning glass substrates by Radio Frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering under high vacuum (base pressure ~ 3 × 10^-7 mbar). The sputtering target was metallic Mo. Subsequent short annealing of Mo at temperatures between about 400 °C - 600 °C in a muffle furnace in air produced MoO₃ thin films. Heating even to 400°C resulted in significant growth of crystal size. Surprisingly, films thinner than about 50 nm could not be heated at higher temperatures due to the evaporation of the oxide. Ultraviolet – visible light absorption spectroscopy experiments were employed for the determination of the optical band gap. The results for direct and indirect allowed transitions are discussed.

Abstract: Within the frame of average spin the dependence of Neel temperature of ultrathin antiferromagnetic film for FCC crystalline lattice on its thickness and the concentration of magnetic atoms has been defined. The λ values calculated by us are close to experimental values obtained for the films СoO/SiO2. The increasing of thickness leads to decreasing of the critical concentration down to the value equal to percolation threshold.

Abstract: Within the frame of average spin model the calculation of dependence of critical phase transition temperature in antiferromagnetic ultrathin films of different crystalline structure on their thickness has been carried out. I has been shown, that relative change of Neel temperature is subject to power law with exponent close to the experimental values.

Abstract: Modeling study of magnetic and concentration phase transition in ultrathin films of diluted magnet has been carried out under approximation of random interaction between atomic magnetic moments of nearest neighbors and within the framework of Ising model. The dependence of Curie temperature on concentration of magnetic atoms was formed. It is shown that with increasing of thickness of ultrathin film the critical concentration of transition from unordered to ordered magnetic state decreases down to the value equal to the percolation threshold.

Abstract: Ultrathin Al films have been prepared in modulated Al/AlN multilayer structures by DC magnetron sputtering. The surface morphology was observed by scanning probe microscopy (SPM). SPM images show that ultrathin Al films consist of equiaxial in-plane grains. The surface roughness for 20 nm-thick Al film which is more than 1 nm is quite large. Full (2θ, ψ)-scan by 2 dimensional XRD (2D - XRD) confirms that ultrathin Al film has highly (111) texture. Residual stress of ultrathin Al films was observed by applying sin²Ψ method. It is found that 5 nm-thick and 10 nm-thick Al films are subjected to compressive stress due to the influence of Volmer-Weber growth mechanism during sputtering. All samples are subjected to tensile stress after annealing. The unstrained interplanar spacing of Al films expands when the thickness is reduced below 10 nm and contracts with increasing annealing temperature.

Abstract: The term "Multiferroic" is coined for a material possessing at least two ferroic orders in the same or composite phase (ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, ferroelastic); if the first two ferroic orders are linearly coupled together it is known as a magnetoelectric (ME) multiferroic. Two kinds of ME multiferroic memory devices are under extensive research based on the philosophy of "switching of polarization by magnetic fields and magnetization by electric fields." Successful switching of ferroic orders will provide an extra degree of freedom to create more logic states. The "switching of polarization by magnetic fields" is useful for magnetic field sensors and for memory elements if, for example, polarization switching is via a very small magnetic field from a coil underneath an integrated circuit. The electric control of magnetization is suitable for nondestructive low-power, high-density magnetically read and electrically written memory elements. If the system possesses additional features, such as propagating magnon (spin wave) excitations at room temperature, additional functional applications may be possible. Magnon-based logic (magnonic) systems have been initiated by various scientists, and prototype devices show potential for future complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Discovery of high polarization, magnetization, piezoelectric, spin waves (magnon), magneto-electric, photovoltaic, exchange bias coupling, etc. make bismuth ferrite, BiFeO₃, one of the widely investigated materials in this decade. Basic multiferroic features of well known room temperature single phase BiFeO₃ in bulk and thin films have been discussed. Functional magnetoelectric (ME) properties of some lead-based solid solution perovskite multiferroics are presented and these systems also have a bright future. The prospects and the limitations of the ME-based random access memory (MERAM) are explained in the context of recent discoveries and state of the art research.