Structural and Morphological Characterization by Energy Dispersive X-ray Diffractometry and Reflectometry Measurements of Cr/Pt Bilayer Films

Abstract

The characteristics of Cr thin films, currently used as resistors, as capacitor plates, and in magnetic recording hard disks, strongly depend on the deposition modality. Nevertheless, up to date no systematic study of the influence of the deposition conditions and of the substrate used on the films structural and morphological properties has been carried out. In the present work, the energy dispersive X-ray diffraction and reflectometry (EDXD and EDXR) techniques were used to investigate double-layer Cr/Pt thin films, deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at different temperatures (from RT to 600 °C) both on crystalline (Si and MgO) and on amorphous (SiO2) substrates. The synergy of the two X-ray techniques allows correlating the structural properties of the samples (obtained by the EDXD) to their morphological characteristics (provided by EDXR). The result is that when the PLD deposition is performed under suitable working conditions and with use of crystalline substrates, films with good texture and with very smooth surfaces were obtained, as required by the magnetorecording applications. Moreover, the structural quality appears to be independent of the deposition temperature. Finally, the advantages connected with the joint use of the energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction and reflectometry are shortly discussed.