An ultrahigh vacuum system for <i>in situ</i> studies of thin films and nanostructures by nuclear resonance scattering of synchrotron radiation

Stankov, S.; Rüffer, R.; Sladecek, M.; Rennhofer, Marcus; Sepioł, B.; Vogl, G.; Spiridis, N.; Ślęzak, T.; Korecki, J.

doi:10.1063/1.2906321

Cited by 33 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…[9]. These findings demonstrate how ultrathin antiferromagnets can be stabilized by embedding them between thin ferromagnets.The in situ experiment was carried out in a dedicated ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber [12] at the nuclear resonance beam line of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ESRF (Grenoble, France) ID18 [13]. First, a 2 nm thick 56 Fe layer was deposited on a W(110) single crystal with a 0.5 nm 57 Fe layer on its top.…”

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confidence: 99%

Stabilization of Antiferromagnetic Order in FeO Nanolayers

et al. 2009

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We have studied the evolution of the magnetic state of a nanometer thick antiferromagnetic (AFM) FeO layer during its formation using nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation. In contact to ferromagnetic Fe, the FeO layer does not show magnetic order at room temperature (RT). Once embedded between two Fe layers, magnetic coupling to the adjacent ferromagnets leads to a drastic increase of the Néel temperature far above RT, while the blocking temperature remains below 30 K. The presented results evidence the role that the ferromagnetic surrounding plays in modifying the magnetic state of ultrathin AFM layers. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.097201 PACS numbers: 75.70.Cn, 75.25.+z, 75.75.+a, 76.80.+y Magnetic data storage technology is reaching the bottom of the nanoscale. The stabilization of magnetic order in low-dimensional structures becomes a key issue. Below a critical thickness, ferromagnets undergo a superparamagnetic relaxation where spins are thermally excited, and the system does not show magnetic hysteresis anymore. Exchange bias bilayer systems composed of a ferromagnet (FM) and an antiferromagnet (AFM) have been recently reported to substantially reduce the critical thickness under which the ferromagnet undergoes superparamagnetic relaxation [1,2]. Layered FM/AFM systems, where an AFM layer (with high anisotropy) is used to pin the magnetization of the FM, are used to create reference magnetic layers in devices. Below a certain temperature (the blocking temperature T B ) the spins in the antiferromagnet are frozen and exchange coupling at the FM/AFM interface leads to a shift of the hysteresis loop and an increase of the coercivity, this phenomenon being known as the exchange bias effect [3,4].In the ultrathin film limit, the thermal stability of these FM/AFM bilayers is strongly modified [5,6]. In exchange bias systems, one usually distinguishes the Néel (ordering) temperature T N of the antiferromagnet and the blocking temperature T B below which exchange bias occurs [7]. For thick AFM layers (> 50 nm), T N and T B are usually found to be equivalent. Field cooling the system below T N directly leads to the freezing of spins (and the appearance of exchange bias). Early studies showed that T B was usually decreasing with decreasing thickness of the AFM layer, and it was assumed that T N was decreasing accordingly due to a finite size effect [5]. Recently, Vallejo-Fernandez et al. found out that the evolution of the exchange bias field H e and T B for polycrystalline films was in fact linked to the average grain volume of the AFM [6], which typically decreases with the layer thickness. This results in a decreased stability against thermal excitation and a decrease of T B . It should be noted that there is still an underlying physics problem as data on epitaxially grown AFM/FM bilayers also show a reduction of T B with a decreasing AFM layer thickness [8,9]; this is still the subject of different theoretical considerations [5,10]. The evolution of T N relative to T B was investigated by Va...

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confidence: 99%

Stabilization of Antiferromagnetic Order in FeO Nanolayers

et al. 2009

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“…It accommodates the UHV system [26] devoted to in situ experiments on thin films and nanostructures that is described in detail in the next section. A cryomagnet system offers external magnetic fields up to 8 T in horizontal direction, either perpendicular or parallel to the X-ray beam and a temperature range between 1.5 and 297 K. It is mounted on a two-circle heavy-duty goniometer used for sample tilting to an angular range of AE5 both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the X-ray beam.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Corresponding instrumentation [26,27] has been constructed and permanently installed at the nuclear resonance beamline ID18 [28] of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. This opened up new perspectives for in situ investigations of electronic and magnetic properties, vibrational dynamics, and diffusion phenomena by several nuclear resonant scattering-based techniques such as coherent elastic nuclear resonant scattering, coherent quasielastic nuclear resonant scattering, and incoherent inelastic nuclear resonant scattering/absorption.…”

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In SituMössbauer Spectroscopy With Synchrotron Radiation on Thin Films

Stankov

Ślęzak

Zając

et al. 2013

Mössbauer Spectroscopy

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“…1a. A newly constructed ultra high vacuum (UHV) system [9] at the beamline ID 18 at ESRF Grenoble [10] permits diverse GI-NRS experiments in situ, and also during or shortly after 57 Fe deposition. This multichamber UHV system ensures state-of-the-art preparation and characterization of single crystalline surfaces and epitaxial films, offering evaporation of several metals (including Fe isotopes).…”

Section: Nrs Techniquementioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetism of ultra-thin iron films seen by the nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation

Ślęzak

Freindl

Kozioł–Rachwał

et al. 2010

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Magnetism of ultra-thin iron films seen by the nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation Magnetism of ultra-thin iron films seen by the nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation Abstract. Conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy proved in the past to be very useful in studying surface and ultrathin film magnetism with monolayer resolution. Twenty years later, its time-domain analogue, the nuclear resonant scattering (NRS) of synchrotron radiation, showed up to be by orders of magnitude faster and more efficient. The evolution of the spin structure in epitaxial 57 Fe films on a tungsten W(110) was studied via the accumulation of the NRS time spectra directly during Fe film deposition. In the 0.5 -4 monolayers Fe thickness range, the complex non-collinear magnetic structure was derived from the NRS data, resulting from the deviation from the layer by layer growth mode. For thicker Fe films, the in-plane thickness induced spin reorientation transition could be clearly identified. Based on the NRS analysis it is shown that SRT process originates at the Fe/W(110) interface and proceeds through a transient fan-like magnetization structure.

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An ultrahigh vacuum system for in situ studies of thin films and nanostructures by nuclear resonance scattering of synchrotron radiation

Cited by 33 publications

References 15 publications

Stabilization of Antiferromagnetic Order in FeO Nanolayers

Stabilization of Antiferromagnetic Order in FeO Nanolayers

In SituMössbauer Spectroscopy With Synchrotron Radiation on Thin Films

Magnetism of ultra-thin iron films seen by the nuclear resonant scattering of synchrotron radiation

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