Magnetic Domain Properties of Co/Pt Multilayer Thin Films

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 460-461

Author(s):

S.R. Herd ◽

K.Y. Ahn

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Film Thickness ◽

Rf Sputtering ◽

Magnetic Domain ◽

Protective Layer ◽

Multilayer Thin Films ◽

Island Size ◽

Multilayered Films ◽

Spacer Layer ◽

Small Grains

In this paper we attempted to correlate the microstructure of single and multilayered NiFe (80/20) films with the magnetic domain structure as a function of coercivity Hc and film thickness below 700Å. The films were prepared by either E-beam evaporation or rf-sputtering onto carbon covered mica at RT. All films were coated with a protective layer on both top and bottom surfaces, as well as a spacer layer in the case of the multilayered films, of either SiO or SiO2.The Hc was found to drop sharply with increasing thickness from >10 oe to 6 oe between 10Å and 30Å which could be attributed to the diminishing island structure. At 30Å well separated, 200-300Å sized islands contain many small grains of up to 30Å size. Island size then decreases while the grainsize increases with thickness until a residual void network is formed around indivudial grains of size comparable to the thickness.

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Characterization of reactive phase formation in sputter-deposited Ni/Al multilayer thin films using TEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100167469 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 1000-1001

Author(s):

G. Lucadamo ◽

K. Barmak ◽

C. Michaelsen

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Phase Formation ◽

Dark Field ◽

Nickel Layer ◽

Multilayer Thin Films ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dark Field Imaging ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Sputter Deposited ◽

Constant Heating

The subject of reactive phase formation in multilayer thin films of varying periodicity has stimulated much research over the past few years. Recent studies have sought to understand the reactions that occur during the annealing of Ni/Al multilayers. Dark field imaging from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies in conjunction with in situ x-ray diffraction measurements, and calorimetry experiments (isothermal and constant heating rate), have yielded new insights into the sequence of phases that occur during annealing and the evolution of their microstructure.In this paper we report on reactive phase formation in sputter-deposited lNi:3Al multilayer thin films with a periodicity A (the combined thickness of an aluminum and nickel layer) from 2.5 to 320 nm. A cross-sectional TEM micrograph of an as-deposited film with a periodicity of 10 nm is shown in figure 1. This image shows diffraction contrast from the Ni grains and occasionally from the Al grains in their respective layers.

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Domains and domain nucleation in magnetron-sputtered CoCr thin films

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100151064 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 1046-1047

Author(s):

B. G. Demczyk

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Domain Structure ◽

Magnetic Domain ◽

Domain Size ◽

Film Plane ◽

Magnetic Domain Structure ◽

Perpendicular Magnetization ◽

Columnar Grains ◽

Reversal Mechanism ◽

Lorentz Transmission Electron Microscopy

CoCr thin films have been of interest for a number of years due to their strong perpendicular anisotropy, favoring magnetization normal to the film plane. The microstructure and magnetic properties of CoCr films prepared by both rf and magnetron sputtering have been examined in detail. By comparison, however, relatively few systematic studies of the magnetic domain structure and its relation to the observed film microstructure have been reported. In addition, questions still remain as to the operative magnetization reversal mechanism in different film thickness regimes. In this work, the magnetic domain structure in magnetron sputtered Co-22 at.%Cr thin films of known microstructure were examined by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, domain nucleation studies were undertaken via in-situ heating experiments.It was found that the 50 nm thick films, which are comprised of columnar grains, display a “dot” type domain configuration (Figure 1d), characteristic of a perpendicular magnetization. The domain size was found to be on the order of a few structural columns in diameter.

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The use of transmission and analytical electron microscopy in studying reactions and phase transformations in thin film

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100150046 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 842-843

Author(s):

K. Barmak

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Phase Transformations ◽

Analytical Electron Microscopy ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Multilayer Thin Films ◽

Absolute Concentration ◽

Analytical Electron ◽

Deposition Step

Generally, processing of thin films involves several annealing steps in addition to the deposition step. During the annealing steps, diffusion, transformations and reactions take place. In this paper, examples of the use of TEM and AEM for ex situ and in situ studies of reactions and phase transformations in thin films will be presented.The ex situ studies were carried out on Nb/Al multilayer thin films annealed to different stages of reaction. Figure 1 shows a multilayer with dNb = 383 and dAl = 117 nm annealed at 750°C for 4 hours. As can be seen in the micrograph, there are four phases, Nb/Nb3-xAl/Nb2-xAl/NbAl3, present in the film at this stage of the reaction. The composition of each of the four regions marked 1-4 was obtained by EDX analysis. The absolute concentration in each region could not be determined due to the lack of thickness and geometry parameters that were required to make the necessary absorption and fluorescence corrections.

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TEM studies of solid-state reactions in sputter-deposited Nb/Al multilayer thin films

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100167561 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 1020-1021

Author(s):

F. Ma ◽

S. Vivekanand ◽

K. Barmak ◽

C. Michaelsen

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solid State ◽

Stoichiometric Composition ◽

Analytical Electron Microscopy ◽

Grain Structure ◽

Solid State Reactions ◽

Multilayer Thin Films ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

X Ray ◽

Sputter Deposited

Solid state reactions in sputter-deposited Nb/Al multilayer thin films have been studied by transmission and analytical electron microscopy (TEM/AEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Nb/Al multilayer thin films for TEM studies were sputter-deposited on (1102)sapphire substrates. The periodicity of the films is in the range 10-500 nm. The overall composition of the films are 1/3, 2/1, and 3/1 Nb/Al, corresponding to the stoichiometric composition of the three intermetallic phases in this system.Figure 1 is a TEM micrograph of an as-deposited film with periodicity A = dA1 + dNb = 72 nm, where d's are layer thicknesses. The polycrystalline nature of the Al and Nb layers with their columnar grain structure is evident in the figure. Both Nb and Al layers exhibit crystallographic texture, with the electron diffraction pattern for this film showing stronger diffraction spots in the direction normal to the multilayer. The X-ray diffraction patterns of all films are dominated by the Al(l 11) and Nb(l 10) peaks and show a merging of these two peaks with decreasing periodicity.

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Progressive Debonding of Multilayer Interconnect Structures

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-473-21 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 473 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Michael Lane ◽

Robert Ware ◽

Steven Voss ◽

Qing Ma ◽

Harry Fujimoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Crack Growth ◽

Driving Force ◽

Adhesion Energy ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Multilayer Thin Films ◽

Processing Conditions ◽

Interface Morphology ◽

Entire Sample ◽

Crack Growth Velocity

ABSTRACTProgressive (or time dependent) debonding of interfaces poses serious problems in interconnect structures involving multilayer thin films stacks. The existence of such subcriticai debonding associated with environmentally assisted crack-growth processes is examined for a TiN/SiO2 interface commonly encountered in interconnect structures. The rate of debond extension is found to be sensitive to the mechanical driving force as well as the interface morphology, chemistry, and yielding of adjacent ductile layers. In order to investigate the effect of interconnect structure, particularly the effect of an adjacent ductile Al-Cu layer, on subcriticai debonding along the TiN/SiO2 interface, a set of samples was prepared with Al-Cu layer thicknesses varying from 0.2–4.0 μm. All other processing conditions remained the same over the entire sample run. Results showed that for a given crack growth velocity, the debond driving force scaled with Al-Cu layer thickness. Normalizing the data by the critical adhesion energy allowed a universal subcriticai debond rate curve to be derived.

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