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Atom Probe Field Ion Microscopy Of Multilayer Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

D. J. Larson
Affiliation:
Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN37831-6376
A. K. Petford-Long
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, 0X1 3PH, England
A. Cerezo
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, 0X1 3PH, England
T. C. Anthony
Affiliation:
Hewlett Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA94304
M. K. Miller
Affiliation:
Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN37831-6376
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Multilayer film (MLF) structures which exhibit giant-magnetoresistance (GMR) properties have applications in the areas of magnetic recording and computer memory. The magnetic properties of MLF structures are dependent upon structural and compositional variations at the atomic level. Thus, structural characterization with high spatial resolution, especially at layer interfaces, is important in order to optimize device performance with respect to processing and operating conditions. Atom probe field ion microscopy (APFIM) is one technique that has the capability to characterize the local structure and composition of MLF devices with sufficiently high resolution. However, a major difficulty has been successful specimen preparation from MLF materials, which requires fabrication of a sharply pointed needle (radius <50 nm) containing the layers of interest in the apex region. Research on specialized field ion specimen preparation techniques which use focused ion beam milling has recently enabled nanoscale MLF structures to be investigated. In the present paper, the application of atom probe microanalysis to two different MLF structures is presented.

Type
Atomic Structure And Microchemistry Of Interfaces
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America

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7. The author would like to thank Dr. W. H. Butler (ORNL) for helpful discussions and Dr. D. T. Foord (University of Cambridge) and K. Thomas (ORNL) for assistance with focused ion beam milling. This research was sponsored b> the U.S. National Science Foundation (INT-9600327). by the Division of Materials Sciences. U. S. DOE. and through a CRADA with Honeywell. Inc.. Minneapolis. MN. sponsored by the Laboratory Technology Research Program. U.S. DOE. both under contract DE-AC05-96OR22464 with ORNL. This research was conducted utilizing facilities at the University of Oxford and the Shared Research Equipment User Facilities at ORNL.+the+U.S.+National+Science+Foundation+(INT-9600327).+by+the+Division+of+Materials+Sciences.+U.+S.+DOE.+and+through+a+CRADA+with+Honeywell.+Inc..+Minneapolis.+MN.+sponsored+by+the+Laboratory+Technology+Research+Program.+U.S.+DOE.+both+under+contract+DE-AC05-96OR22464+with+ORNL.+This+research+was+conducted+utilizing+facilities+at+the+University+of+Oxford+and+the+Shared+Research+Equipment+User+Facilities+at+ORNL.>Google Scholar