Magnetic anisotropy and morphology of Fe epitaxial layers grown on MgO/InAs heterostructures.
In-plane magnetic anisotropy and the corresponding morphology of Fe epitaxial layers have been investigated with respect to underlying MgO growth temperature when epitaxial Fe/MgO layers are grown on InAs (001) substrates. Coexistence of three-dimensional Fe islands with strong in-plane textures along <110> and (100) is observed on 4 nm thick MgO layers grown on 200 degrees C, leading to the absence of magnetic anisotropy. Meanwhile, the partially relaxed MgO layers grown above 300 degrees C give rise to two-dimensional Fe layers with cubic magnetic anisotropy. The higher MgO growth temperature accelerates the two-dimensional layer formation of the subsequent Fe as well as the advent of cubic anisotropy by reducing underlying strain within the MgO layer.
Spin Device Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791, Korea.
Kyung-Ho
KH
Kim
Hyung-Jun
HJ
Kim
Jae-Pyung
JP
Ahn
Jun-Hyun
JH
Han
Jun Woo
JW
Choi
Joonyeon
J
Chang