Solid-state reaction in Fe/V multilayers by ion beam mixing with thermal annealing

Abstract

We report a study on the structural and magnetic properties of iron–vanadium thin films, originally grown in multilayer form [Fe(20 Å)/V(20 Å)] 20, and mixed by ion beam mixing (IBM) and a subsequent thermal treatment. The samples were structurally characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) in the θ–2 θ geometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The magnetic characterisation was made using conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (CEMS). The XRD result for the as-deposited multilayer shows a high-degree crystallinity, while CEMS suggests abrupt interface, since no significant contribution from vanadium in iron is observed. After the IBM and thermal treatment, the results from XRD show an FeV solid solution indexed as a bcc-disordered structure (α phase). XAS structural results are consistent with the XRD observations. CEMS results show a magnetic moment reduction for mixed samples.