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Magnetic properties of Co/Ag/Co films grown on Ag(100) nanometer‐scale islands
Author(s) -
Wei D. H.,
Yu C. C.,
Chou S. C.,
Yao Y. D.,
Liou Y.,
Chin T. S.
Publication year - 2004
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/pssb.200304677
Subject(s) - materials science , substrate (aquarium) , nanometre , epitaxy , molecular beam epitaxy , layer (electronics) , surface finish , morphology (biology) , nanoscopic scale , nanotechnology , texture (cosmology) , magnetoresistance , surface roughness , chemical engineering , composite material , magnetic field , artificial intelligence , biology , oceanography , image (mathematics) , physics , quantum mechanics , computer science , genetics , geology , engineering
Self‐assembled Ag(100) islands on Si(100) substrate were fabricated by using the molecular beam epitaxy technique. Co/Ag/Co films were then grown onto Ag films at 100 °C. We have experimentally demonstrated that the magnetic behavior of Co/Ag/Co films is strongly dependent on the thickness and morphology of the Ag(100) islands that serve as a buffer layer. The buffer layer designed to reduce the surface free energy forms isolated pyramidal islands with {111} sidewalls on the Si(100) substrate, and provides feasibility to study the correlation between magnetic properties and interface roughness. Ag islands also play an important role in the magnetoresistance transition of Co/Ag/Co films. The roughened Ag(100) surface facilitates texture growth of Co/Ag/Co films and provides a resultant domain‐wall‐pinning, that in turn contributes to the in‐plane demagnetization factor. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)