Effect of Si layer thickness on the structural properties of a Co/Si multilayersystem

Abstract

The nature of the interface involved and the structure characteristics of the as-depositedCo/Si multilayer system have been studied. Using the ion-beam sputtering technique,multilayers, having ten bilayers of Co and Si, were deposited. X-ray reflectivity, x-raystanding wave and wide-angle x-ray diffraction techniques were used to study theinterface of the system. The x-ray reflectivity curves obtained confirm the goodquality of the Co/Si stack. The presence of a silicide layer at the interface is notdistinctly visible. The Co is found to be crystalline in nature and it is highlytextured. This texture of the Co layer is lost as the Si layer thickness is increasedabove a particular value. We have performed some preliminary magneto-opticalKerr effect (MOKE) measurements at room temperature, which show that allthe samples have ferromagnetic coupling between the different Co layers andthat the nature of ferromagnetism is highly governed by the Si layer thickness.