Magnetic properties and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of NiO/NiFe films prepared by magnetron sputtering

Abstract

Ta/NiO x / Ni 81 Fe 19 /Ta multilayers were prepared by rf reactive and dc magnetron sputtering. The exchange-coupling field (Hex) and the coercivity (Hc) of NiOx/Ni81Fe19 as a function of the ratio of Ar to O2 during the deposition process were studied. The composition and chemical states at the interface region of NiOx/NiFe were also investigated using the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique. The results show that the ratio of Ar to O2 has a great effect on the nickel chemical states in NiOx film. When the ratio of Ar to O2 is equal to 7 and the argon sputtering pressure is 0.57 Pa, the x value is approximately 1 and the valence of nickel is +2. At this point, NiOx is antiferromagnetic NiO and the corresponding Hex is the largest. As the ratio of Ar/O2 deviates from 7, the exchange-coupling field (Hex) will decrease due to the presence of magnetic defects such as Ni+3 or metallic Ni at the interface region of NiOx/NiFe, while the coercivity (Hc) will increase due to the metallic Ni. XPS studies also show that there are two thermodynamically favorable reactions at the NiO/NiFe interface: NiO+Fe=Ni+FeO and 3NiO+2Fe=3Ni+Fe2O3. These interface reaction products are magnetic defects at the interface region of NiO/NiFe, it is believed that these magnetic defects would have an effect on the exchange-coupling field (Hex) and the coercivity (Hc) of NiO/NiFe.