Magnetic properties and thermal stability of nanocrystalline Fe films prepared by oblique sputtering deposition method

Gheisari, Kh.; Ong, C. K.

doi:10.1016/j.physb.2020.412365

Cited by 5 publications

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“…All films showed a polycrystalline structure, with a (110) preferential orientation ( Figure 2 ) and the degree of polycrystallinity being dependent on the deposition conditions. This type of structure is characteristic to OAD Fe films, grown on Si substrates [ 43 ], as well as when a normal configuration is used for deposition [ 44 ]. The film unit cell parameter ( Table 2 ) was calculated to a ~2.859 ± 0.004 Å, which is close to the bulk Fe cell parameter, a 0 = 2.86 Å (PDF2 Card No.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nanoscale Control of Structure and Composition for Nanocrystalline Fe Thin Films Grown by Oblique Angle RF Sputtering

et al. 2022

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The use of Fe films as multi-element targets in space radiation experiments with high-intensity ultrashort laser pulses requires a surface structure that can enhance the laser energy absorption on target, as well as a low concentration and uniform distribution of light element contaminants within the films. In this paper, (110) preferred orientation nanocrystalline Fe thin films with controlled morphology and composition were grown on (100)-oriented Si substrates by oblique angle RF magnetron sputtering, at room temperature. The evolution of films key-parameters, crucial for space-like radiation experiments with organic material, such as nanostructure, morphology, topography, and elemental composition with varying RF source power, deposition pressure, and target to substrate distance is thoroughly discussed. A selection of complementary techniques was used in order to better understand this interdependence, namely X-ray Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and Non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy. The films featured a nanocrystalline, tilted nanocolumn structure, with crystallite size in the (110)-growth direction in the 15–25 nm range, average island size in the 20–50 nm range, and the degree of polycrystallinity determined mainly by the shortest target-to-substrate distance (10 cm) and highest deposition pressure (10−2 mbar Ar). Oxygen concentration (as impurity) into the bulk of the films as low as 1 at. %, with uniform depth distribution, was achieved for the lowest deposition pressures of (1–3) × 10−3 mbar Ar, combined with highest used values for the RF source power of 125–150 W. The results show that the growth process of the Fe thin film is strongly dependent mainly on the deposition pressure, with the film morphology influenced by nucleation and growth kinetics. Due to better control of film topography and uniform distribution of oxygen, such films can be successfully used as free-standing targets for high repetition rate experiments with high power lasers to produce Fe ion beams with a broad energy spectrum.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finding the right conditions that kinetically favor the (110) growth direction might enable the fabrication of epitaxial Fe films on the (100) Si substrate even at RT, albeit characterized by a random initial nucleation stage. However, the oblique angle sputtering approach seems to favor polycrystallinity [ 43 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%