Lattice imaging of Ag-Co thin films using energy-filtered TEM

Author

Scott, J.H. ; Majetich, S.A.

Author_Institution

Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Volume

32

Issue

5

fYear

1996

fDate

9/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

4701

Lastpage

4703

Abstract

The structure of Ag₆₅Co₃₅ thin films is characterized using energy-filtered high resoimaging TEM and electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI). Cosputtered Ag-Co films were prepared according to protocols that produced maximum giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in thicker films with the same composition. Elemental maps produced using ESI reveal 50 nm diameter Ag particles embedded in a granular alloy matrix. Cobalt maps of these films show uniform cobalt distribution at the spatial resolution of the technique (about 2 nm), indicating that distinct cobalt particles, if they exist, are very small. Energy-filtered lattice imaging and digital image processing were used to search for such particles, but none were found

Keywords

cobalt alloys; crystal structure; discontinuous metallic thin films; giant magnetoresistance; magnetic particles; magnetic thin films; silver alloys; transmission electron microscopy; 2 nm; 50 nm; Ag-Co thin films; Ag₆₅Co₃₅; digital image processing; electron spectroscopic imaging; elemental maps; energy-filtered TEM; energy-filtered lattice imaging; maximum giant magnetoresistance; structure; Amorphous materials; Annealing; Cobalt; Electrons; Energy resolution; Giant magnetoresistance; Lattices; Magnetic materials; Magnetic separation; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.539123

Filename

539123