An interface study of crystalline Fe/Ge multilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

Fe/Ge multilayers were grown on single crystal Ge(0 0 1) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Fe/Ge have been studied. The analysis shows that Fe grows in a layer-by-layer epitaxial growth mode on Ge(0 0 1) substrates at 150 ◦C and no intermixing has been observed. Growth of a crystalline Ge film at 150 ◦C on a single crystal Fe film has been observed. At this temperature Ge films grow by means of the island growth mode according to reflection of high energy electron diffraction patterns. Fe layers of 36nm thickness, deposited at 150 ◦C on Ge(0 0 1) substrates, show two magnetization reversal values indicating the growth of Fe in two different crystal orientations. 36nm thick Fe and Ge layers grown at 150 ◦C in Ge/Fe/Ge/Fe/Ge(0 0 1) sequence shows ferromagnetic behavior, however, the same structure grown at 200 ◦C shows paramagnetic behavior.