Magnetic properties of Fe films epitaxially grown on Cr/GaAs(100) by dc magnetron sputtering

Abstract

We report on the growth of single-crystal Fe films by magnetron sputtering onto GaAs substrates. In order to establish the epitaxial orientation with the substrate a 100 Å Cr buffer layer was rf sputtered. The crystalline and magnetic properties were studied by x-ray diffraction, ferromagnetic resonance, and Kerr effect magnetometry techniques. The θ-2θ x-ray measurements show that only the Fe (200) peak is present, and the rocking curve shows a full width half maximum of 2°. Ferromagnetic resonance lines exhibit a line width of about 30 Oe, and the in-plane resonance field as a function of the azimuth angle presents a fourfold symmetry with no induced anisotropy. The in-plane hard- and easy-axis magneto-optical hysteresis loop traces are consistent with the ferromagnetic resonance results.

Structure characterization of Fe films grown on GaAs (100) by ion-beam sputter epitaxy

“…Fe films were epitaxially deposited on GaAs (1 0 0) [10], GaAs (1 1 1) [11] and GaAs (1 1 0) [12] using ionbeam sputtering (IBS). Another approach is conventional magnetron sputtering in a UHVbased system to achieve epitaxy [13][14][15][16]. Recently, the effects of substrate temperature on the physical properties of ion-beam and magnetron-sputtered Fe films on GaAs (1 0 0) were studied and compared by Bernstein et al [17].…”

Anisotropy of epitaxial Fe films grown on n-type GaAs by electrodeposition

“…Fe 2ϩ is slowly oxidized to Fe 3ϩ by air, and-if an insoluble anode is used-also at the anode during electroplating. The presence of Fe 3ϩ in solution is harmful as Fe 3ϩ starts to hydrolyze at about pH 1 and precipitates at pH 3.5, 12 forming Fe(OH) 3 preferentially at the cathode. Therefore, electrodeposition of Fe is complicated by the sensitivity to the oxidation state of the Fe ions and so far has eluded successful deposition on semiconductor materials.…”

“…The epitaxial growth of Fe layers on GaAs was demonstrated using molecular-beam epitaxy ͑MBE͒ and sputtering. 3,4 In order to prevent interface intermixing 5,6 however, suitable surface preparation of the GaAs substrate prior to deposition was required. 7,8 Electrodeposition is an alternative film deposition method which has proven to avoid intermixing due to the low energy character of the deposition process 9 and has also been shown to yield epitaxial metallic films with good structural properties on various SC.…”

Magnetic properties of Fe films and Fe∕Si∕Fe trilayers grown on GaAs(001) and MgO(001) by ion-beam sputter epitaxy

“…[20][21][22] Although our data clearly evidence monocrystalline growth of Fe on untreated, oxidized, and contaminated GaAs͑001͒ and MgO͑001͒ substrates, it is up to now not clear in detail what gives rise to the monocrystalline growth in spite of the disordered, oxidized substrates. The previous report 23 of epitaxial growth of Cr and Fe/ Cr bilayers with Cr as a buffer and adhesion layer on untreated GaAs͑001͒ did not address this question. One possible explanation could be that holes in the oxide layer exist.…”