Phase evolution in 57Fe/Al multilayers studied through dc magnetization, conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy.

Fe/Al multilayer thin films with an overall atomic concentration ratio of Fe:Al=1:2 have been prepared by ion-beam sputtering. Phase formation and microstructural evolution with thermal annealing have been studied by x-ray reflectivity, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, dc magnetization, and conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy. These studies show that although the starting composition is Al rich, the intermixing of Fe and Al at the interfaces leads to the formation of a magnetic Fe₃Al-like region at the interface. Thus, the magnetic contribution in the as-deposited multilayer structure (MLS) is not only from pure Fe but also from an Fe₃Al-like region formed at the interface. On annealing the MLS, a stable nonmagnetic MLS consisting of intermetallic B2 Fe₅₀Al₅₀ separated by thin Al layers is formed. Further annealing only induces better ordering of Fe₅₀Al₅₀ and does not destroy the MLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]