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Spin polarization of field‐emitted electrons from ferromagnetic half‐metallic Heusler alloy Co 2 MnSi
Author(s) -
Nagai Shigekazu,
Fujiwara Yuji,
Hata Koichi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.2939
Subject(s) - materials science , ferromagnetism , condensed matter physics , spin polarization , thin film , polarization (electrochemistry) , tungsten , alloy , electron , metallurgy , nanotechnology , physics , chemistry , quantum mechanics
Abstract To develop a spin‐polarized field emitter with high brightness available at room temperature, spin polarization of Heusler alloy Co 2 MnSi thin film deposited onto a chromium buffer layer on a polycrystalline tungsten needle tip surface was measured with Mott polarization analyzer. Typical electron emission pattern of Co 2 MnSi thin film displayed a mosaic pattern, which consisted of small bright spots, and the substrate plane of the brightest spot was a W(001) facet. Polarization direction obtained from the brightest spot was < 110> direction of substrate tungsten which corresponded to a magnetic easy axis of Co 2 MnSi, if the film grew epitaxially on the W(001) plane via the chromium buffer layer. About 30% of spin polarization was obtained from Co 2 MnSi film annealed at 600 K for 2 h. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.