The effect of oxygen as a surfactant on thermal stability in CoFe/Cu multilayers

A. K. Petford-Long, D. J. Larson, A. Cerezo, Y. Q. Ma, H. L. Brown, J. Y. Yi, R. K. Grove, A. Morrone

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of annealing on the films grown with and without oxygen is likely to be related to the way in which the oxygen acts as a surfactant, which by reducing surface diffusion, leads to layers that are further from equilibrium before annealing. The films deposited in Ar+O2 have an enhanced MR ratio. GMR curves for the films after annealing at 300°C for 0.5 hours. The annealing has led to a decrease in the GMR ratio, with the decrease being greater for the Ar+O2 and b) Ar. For the Ar+O2 film, annealing has reduced the saturation magnetisation and increased the proportion of ferromagnetic coupling, which will lead to decrease in MR ratio. The changes to the transport and magnetic properties can be explained by changes to the microstructure during annealing.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationIntermag 2003 - Program of the 2003 IEEE International Magnetics Conference
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)0780376471, 9780780376472
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003
Event2003 IEEE International Magnetics Conference, Intermag 2003 - Boston, United States
Duration: Mar 30 2003Apr 3 2003

Publication series

NameIntermag 2003 - Program of the 2003 IEEE International Magnetics Conference

Other

Other2003 IEEE International Magnetics Conference, Intermag 2003
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoston
Period3/30/034/3/03

Keywords

  • Annealing
  • Argon
  • Drives
  • Magnetic materials
  • Magnetic multilayers
  • Nonhomogeneous media
  • Oxygen
  • Saturation magnetization
  • Thermal stability
  • X-ray scattering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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