Study of Fe/Si multilayers by photoemission spectroscopy

The Fe/Si multilayers structure was grown by direct current magnetron sputtering technique and was studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The iron silicide formation at the oxidized Fe/Si interface is inhibited at room and elevated temperatures and it occurs at T ≥500 °C. The prolonged annealing of the Fe/Si interface to 500 °C leads to the steady growth of the Si 3+ and Si 4+ oxygen-related components in the sample.