Study of interface structure of Fe/Al multilayers

Structural and magnetic ordering of the interfaces determines the physical properties of multilayered structures. Interfaces of Fe/Al multilayers were studied using Mossbauer effect spectroscopy. The samples were fabricated by de planar magnetron sputtering at room temperature on polyester substrates. The observed spectra indicate that the interfaces have a common structural composition and for thin Fe layers, the whole Fe layer forms mixed phases at the interface. For larger Fe layer thickness, the interface is formed using an about 12-Angstrom-thick Fe layer. Besides the hyperfine field component of bcc Fe, six different magnetic components were identified in all samples (with larger Fe layer thickness). The intensities of the components were determined from the area under the absorption peaks of the Mossbauer spectra of the corresponding phases. The average canting angle of the Fe magnetic moments, as obtained from the spectra, indicate parallel magnetic anisotropy for all phases. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.