title: An approach to growth of Fe-Si multilayers with controlled composition profile-a way to exchange coupled thin films.
abstract: The growth, composition and structure of sandwich structures (Fe-rich layer/Si-rich layer/Fe-rich silicide layer) grown on a Si(111) surface were studied by a few complementary microscopic and spectroscopic techniques with high spatial resolution. Intermixing at the Fe/Si and Si/Fe interfaces is demonstrated. Fe-rich layers grown directly on the Si(111) surface are crystalline and have abrupt but rough interfaces at both sides. The succeeding layers are disordered and their interfaces are fuzzy. The distributions of Fe and Si within the layers are laterally non-uniform. The reproducible fabrication of thin non-magnetic silicide spacers of predetermined thickness is demonstrated. Sandwich structures with such spacers exhibit exchange coupling between ferromagnetic Fe-rich layers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Automation and Control Processes FEB RAS, 5, Radio Str., Vladivostok, Russia.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gouralnik
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Pustovalov
authors.forename: K-W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Chuvilin
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Chusovitina
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dotsenko
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Cherednichenko
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Plotnikov
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Belokon
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Tkachenko
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Galkin