Title :
XPS and XMCD study of Fe3O4/GaAs interface
Author :
Lu, Yongxiong ; Claydon, Jill S. ; Ahmad, Ehsan ; Xu, Yongbing ; Thompson, Sarah M. ; Wilson, Karen ; Van der Laan, Gerrit
Author_Institution :
Spintronics Lab., Dept. of Electron., Univ. of York, UK
Abstract :
Ultrathin Fe oxide films of various thicknesses prepared by post-growth oxidation on GaAs(100) surface have been investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The XPS confirms that the surfaces of the oxide are Fe3O4 rather than Fe2O3. XAS and XMCD measurements indicate the presence of insulating Fe divalent oxide phases (FeO) beneath the surface Fe3O4 layer with the sample thickness above 4 nm. This FeO might act as a barrier for the spin injection into the GaAs.
Keywords :
X-ray absorption; X-ray photoelectron spectra; gallium arsenide; interface magnetism; iron alloys; magnetic circular dichroism; magnetic thin films; spin polarised transport; Fe3O4-GaAs; FeO; X-ray absorption spectroscopy; X-ray magnetic circular dichroism; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; XMCD; XPS; barrier; post-growth oxidation; spin injection; ultrathin films; Electromagnetic wave absorption; Gallium arsenide; Insulation; Iron; Magnetic films; Oxidation; Phase measurement; Spectroscopy; Spin polarized transport; Thickness measurement; Half-metallic Fe; XMCD; post-growth oxidation; spintronics;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2005.854834
