ACTA

Preparation and Characterisation of Fe/Ce Multilayer

H. Dawczak-Dębicki^a,b, A. Marczyńska^a, S. Pacanowski^a, B. Szymański^a, Ł. Majchrzycki^c, W. Kowalski^a, W. Grembowski^a, T. Bilski^a, and L. Smardz^a
^aInstitute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland
^bFaculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
^cWCZT, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89C, 61-614 Poznań, Poland

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Ce/Fe multilayer (ML) with constant Fe (2 nm) and Ce (4.5 nm) sublayer thicknesses was prepared onto naturally oxidised Si(100) substrate using magnetron sputtering. Chemical purity of the sublayers was revealed in-situ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. The structure of the sample was studied by standard low- and high-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD). Surface morphology of the ML was examined by atomic force microscopy. Magnetic properties of the sample was studied in the temperature range between 5 and 350 K using a vibrating sample magnetometer in a magnetic field up to 9 T. The hysteresis loops were measured in field perpendicular and parallel to the substrate. Furthermore, hydrogen absorption at a pressure of about 1000 mbar was studied at room temperature (RT) in Pd covered ML using four-point resistivity measurements. The solid state amorphisation reaction have been confirmed by XRD and magnetic measurements of the Ce/Fe ML. The absence of satellite peaks in the low - angle XRD pattern revealed no artificial layered structure. The above results show that interdiffusion of cerium and iron atoms is extremely fast at RT.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.133.628
PACS numbers: 75.70.-i, 68.55.-a