In-situ real-time characterization facility for thin films and multilayers

1. Chamber is equipped with a facility for thin film deposition using electron beam evaporation with in-situ measurement of magneto optical Kerr effect (MOKE), reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements.
2. Whole set-up is attached with a lab x-ray source coupled with a multilayer optics, which provides a beam of sufficient collimation and intensity to perform in-situ small angle x-ray reflectivity (XRR) experiments in the laboratory.
3. All the measurements in the present system can be done simultaneously during and after the deposition of the film, thus making it possible to study the evolution of magnetic, transport and structural properties with parameter such as film thickness, annealing temperature etc.
4. In contrast to the earlier in-situ systems in the literature, where measurements with each technique are performed separately and results are interpreted by combining the data, in the present set-up, combination of these techniques as in-situ measurements seems to be promising in surface and interface analysis of magnetic thin films and multilayer nanostructures.

An illustration of the versatility of the set-up

1. In-situ MOKE, RHEED and XRR measurements of Co/CoO bilayer during Growth.
2. Effect of Substrate Roughness on Growth of Thin Nanocrystalline Cobalt film.
3. Attachment of Magneto-resistance (MR) option; growth of Ni film of Si substrate.

Related Publications

1. “Interface induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in a Co/CoO/Co thin-film structure: an in situ MOKE investigation” Dileep Kumar, Ajay Gupta, P. Patidar, A Banerjee, K K Pandey, T. Sant and S. M. Sharma, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 47 (2014) 105002
2. “In situ surface magneto-optical Kerr effect (s-MOKE) study of ultrathin soft magnetic FeCuNbSiB alloy films” Dileep Kumar, Pooja Gupta, and Ajay Gupta, Materials Research Express 1 (2014) 046405.
3. “Correlation between iron self-diffusion and thermal stability in doped iron nitride thin films” Akhil Tayal, Mukul Gupta, Dileep Kumar, V. R. Reddy, Ajay Gupta, S. M. Amir, Panagiotis Korelis, and Jochen Stahn, Journal of Applied Physics 116, 222206 (2014).
4. “Study of ultrathin magnetic cobalt Films on MgO(001)” Gagan Sharma, U.P. Deshpande, Dileep Kumar and Ajay Gupta. Journal of Applied Physics 112, 023910 (2012).
5. “In-situ study of magnetic thin films on nanorippled Si (1 0 0) substrates” Sarathlal K.V., Dileep Kumar, V. Ganesan, Ajay Gupta. Applied Surface Science 258 (2012) 4116
6. “Study of Co90Fe10 magnetic thin Film on MgO substrate using In-situ MOKE Technique” Gagan Sharma, Dileep Kumar, Ajay Gupta. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 365 (2012) 012038
7. “Growth study of Co thin film on nanorippled Si(100) substrate” Sarathlal K. V., Dileep Kumar, and Ajay Gupta, Appl. Phys. Lett 98, 123111 (2011)

Other Research Facilities at Indore Centre