title: Structural study of nanometer-sized iron crystallites in single crystalline iron-MgO composite films.
abstract: Single crystalline composite films of iron and MgO are prepared by a simultaneous vacuum deposition technique. The structures of the composite films, especially of the iron crystallites embedded, are studied by high-resolution electron microscopy and nanometer-area electron diffraction. The alpha-iron (b.c.c.) crystallites of 1 nm in size are epitaxially embedded in single crystalline MgO films, the orientation being (011)[100]Fe parallel (001)[100]MgO and (001)[110]Fe parallel (001)[100]MgO. A heat treatment of the as-grown films at 500-1,000 degrees C brings about a phase transformation of the crystallites from alpha-iron to gamma-iron (f.c.c.), followed by a grain growth of alpha-iron and finally the growth of the spinel, MgFe2O4. The gamma-iron crystallites transformed are circular plates and have strains at the periphery to accommodate the surrounding MgO-matrix. The magnetic property of the composite films is also reported.
authors: Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya University, Japan.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Tanaka
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Nagao
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Yoshizaki
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Mihama
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D008277:Magnesium Oxide / Q000032:analysis*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D015394:Molecular Structure; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D008277:Magnesium Oxide; D007501:Iron