High-Quality, Smooth Fe3O4 Thin Films on Si By Controlled Oxidation of Fe in CO/CO2

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe fabricated Fe3O4 thin films on TiN buffered Si by CO/CO2 oxidation at 160 °C. The easy saturation of the magnetization at high magnetic field and high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HRSTEM) images show low defect density, smooth Fe3O4 thin films. Oxidation at 400 °C resulted in an undesirable second phase in between the TiN and the un-oxidized Fe, but changes in total gas pressure did not lead to a second phase. The crystal structure of this second phase is similar to Fe2TiO4 (ulvöspinel) from HRSTEM and STEM electron energy loss spectroscopy. Fe3O4 thin films grown at 160 °C follow a power law growth model with an exponent of 0.23±0.03.