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A Comparative Study of Iron Films on II–VI and III–V Semiconductors
Author(s) -
Bierleutgeb K.,
Sitter H.,
Krenn H.,
Seyringer H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3951(200007)220:1<41::aid-pssb41>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - heterojunction , semiconductor , materials science , thin film , magnetic semiconductor , evaporation , deposition (geology) , electron beam physical vapor deposition , ferromagnetism , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , condensed matter physics , physics , paleontology , sediment , biology , thermodynamics
The incorporation of magnetic layers in semiconductor heterostructures is an increasingly active area of study. Especially the growth of ferromagnetic iron is an attractive field of investigation. A new UHV chamber has been attached to an MBE system to study the growth of iron films on GaAs as well as on II–VI semiconductors. Electron beam evaporation of iron was used, a method which provides clean and controlled deposition of iron at relatively low deposition rates. Since interfacial effects are expected to play an important role in thin‐film heterostructures resulting in a broad range of magnetic properties depending on film thickness and deposition conditions, we present a comparative study of iron on III–V and on II–VI semiconductors. Growth of Fe‐films on ZnSe epilayers and bulk GaAs substrates are investigated to determine the mode of film growth as well as structural properties of the films. Films are characterized by various measurements – superconducting quantum interference device to determine magnetic properties, X‐ray diffraction to study crystallography and also optical methods for investigation of the surface and the uppermost region.