Conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy of epitaxial Co{sub 2}Cr{sub 0.6}Fe{sub 0.4}Al thin films
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz (Germany)
- Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz (Germany)
Heusler half-metals are promising for spintronic applications. Epitaxial thin films of the exemplar compound Co{sub 2}Cr{sub 0.6}Fe{sub 0.4}Al (CCFA) were investigated using conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy to clarify the factors influencing the spin polarization. CCFA films were deposited by rf magnetron sputtering on MgO substrates with and without an Fe buffer layer. Annealing improves their crystallographic order, causes the diffusion of Fe atoms from the Fe buffer layer into the CCFA, and favors the Co-Fe disorder. The listed factors are possible reasons for the increase and subsequent reduction of the tunneling magnetoresistance in CCFA thin films observable across the annealing temperature range.
- OSTI ID:
- 21120836
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 92, Issue 26; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2952760; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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