Solid-state reaction in Fe/V multilayers by ion beam mixing with thermal annealing

We report a study on the structural and magnetic properties of iron-vanadiu m thin films, originally grown in multilayer form [Fe(20 Angstrom)/V(20 Ang strom)](20), and mixed by ion beam mixing (IBM) and a subsequent thermal tr eatment. The samples were structurally characterised by X-ray diffraction ( XRD) in the theta -2 theta geometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) . The magnetic characterisation was made using conversion electron Mossbaue r spectroscopy (CEMS). The XRD result for the as-deposited multilayer shows a high-degree crystallinity, while CEMS suggests abrupt interface, since n o significant contribution from vanadium in iron is observed. After the IBM and thermal treatment, the results from XRD show an FeV solid solution ind exed as a bcc-disordered structure (alpha phase). XAS structural results ar e consistent with the XRD observations. GEMS results show a magnetic moment reduction for mixed samples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.