Investigation of in situ annealing effect on the thermal stability and crystallinity of IrMn thin films by X-ray diffraction and electron energy loss spectroscopy

• The crystal reorganization of the IrMn thin film was observed by the in situ thermal annealing in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron energy loss spectroscopy. From room temperature to 700 degrees C, the in situ annealing measurements identify the different Mn diffusion effects in three temperature ranges. First, between room temperature and 300 degrees C, the XRD profiles show the reorganization of Mn atoms from interstitials to IrMn lattice points. Second, between 300 and 400 degrees C, we observed the diffusion of Mn atoms from the IrMn thin film to the surface, causing the atomic Mn/Ir ratio to drop from 10 to 7. The MnO appeared on the film surface in this temperature range. Third, from 400 to 700 degrees C, the O content in the IrMn thin film increases to 8%, while the Mn/ Ir ratio continuously decreases from 7 to 5. The scanning transmission electron microscopy images also show that the crystal structure of IrMn thin film completely degrades to another structure.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Iridium manganese; in situ thermal annealing; X-ray diffraction; Scanning transmission electron microscopy; Electron energy loss spectroscopy

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)