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arXiv · 0810.4929

Surface morphology and magnetic anisotropy of Fe/MgO(001) films deposited at oblique incidence

Qing-feng Zhan·Chris Van Haesendonck·Stijn Vandezande·Kristiaan Temst
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Abstract

We have studied surface morphology and magnetic properties of Fe/MgO(001) films deposited at an angle varying between 0o and 60o with respect to the surface normal and with azimuth along the Fe[010] or the Fe[110] direction. Due to shadowing, elongated grains appear on the film surface for deposition at sufficiently large angle. X-ray reflectivity reveals that, depending on the azimuthal direction, films become either rougher or smoother for oblique deposition. For deposition along Fe[010] the pronounced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (UMA) results in the occurrence of reversed two-step and of three-step hysteresis loops. For deposition along Fe[110] the growth-induced UMA is much weaker, causing a small rotation of the easy axes.

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Qing-feng Zhan, Chris Van Haesendonck, Stijn Vandezande, Kristiaan Temst. 2008-10-27. Surface morphology and magnetic anisotropy of Fe/MgO(001) films deposited at oblique incidence. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3075847

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