The structure of Ag/Co multilayers (MLs) on laser irradiation is studied. Three MLs with different Ag layer thicknesses, denoted according to the nominal values (nm) as Ag2Co1, Ag4Co1, and Ag6Co1, were exposed to XeCl excimer laser pulses of the fluences (0.1-0.25) J cm(-2) for (1-200) times. The structure was examined by X-ray diffraction, hard X-ray reflectivity, and diffuse scattering measurements at grazing incidence. The polycrystalline face-centered cubic structure of Ag layers with random orientation of the grains was found in as-deposited Ag2Co1 and Ag6Co1. The formation of a discontinuous ML by grain boundary diffusion of Ag into Co layers induced by laser treatment was evidenced in Ag6Co1 while the temperature window for diffusion is too narrow for completing such a process in Ag2Co1. The granular structure formed due to the melting of Ag layers has no direct relation to the original ML. A strong texture of Ag layers found in Ag4Co1 stabilizes the as-deposited structure even when the melting of Ag layers starts. Different structural evolution of three samples under study is responsible for their different behaviour of giant magneto resistance on laser irradiation observed previously.
Structure of Ag/Co Multilayers on Excimer Laser Irradiation
LUCHES, Armando;MARTINO, Maurizio
2000-01-01
Abstract
The structure of Ag/Co multilayers (MLs) on laser irradiation is studied. Three MLs with different Ag layer thicknesses, denoted according to the nominal values (nm) as Ag2Co1, Ag4Co1, and Ag6Co1, were exposed to XeCl excimer laser pulses of the fluences (0.1-0.25) J cm(-2) for (1-200) times. The structure was examined by X-ray diffraction, hard X-ray reflectivity, and diffuse scattering measurements at grazing incidence. The polycrystalline face-centered cubic structure of Ag layers with random orientation of the grains was found in as-deposited Ag2Co1 and Ag6Co1. The formation of a discontinuous ML by grain boundary diffusion of Ag into Co layers induced by laser treatment was evidenced in Ag6Co1 while the temperature window for diffusion is too narrow for completing such a process in Ag2Co1. The granular structure formed due to the melting of Ag layers has no direct relation to the original ML. A strong texture of Ag layers found in Ag4Co1 stabilizes the as-deposited structure even when the melting of Ag layers starts. Different structural evolution of three samples under study is responsible for their different behaviour of giant magneto resistance on laser irradiation observed previously.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
