Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 48, 30503 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap/2009183

Electrical properties and Kerr effect study of evaporated Fe/Si and Fe/glass thin films

¹ Département de Physique, Université Ferhat Abbas, 19000 Setif, Algeria
² Centre de Recherche Nucléaire d'Alger (CRNA), 16000 Alger, Algeria
³ Joint Laboratory LEMAC,  IEMN CNRS 8520,  École Centrale de Lille,  59651 Villeneuve d'Ascq,  France

Corresponding author: A_Layadi@yahoo.fr

Received: 1 August 2009
Accepted: 28 September 2009
Published online: 30 October 2009

Abstract

Electrical and magnetic properties were studied for evaporated Fe thin films on glass and Si substrates. These properties were investigated by means of the four point probe and the magneto-optical Kerr effect techniques. Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments show no interdiffusion at the interface Fe/Si for these samples. The electrical resistivity is found to be larger in Fe/glass than in Fe/Si for the same thickness. Diffusion at the grain boundaries seems to be the dominant factor in the values in this 6 to 110 nm thickness range; the reflection coefficient is smaller in Fe/glass (R ≈ 0.40) than in Fe/Si(100) (R ≈ 0.65). Saturation field and strain values confirm that Fe films have a stress induced magnetic anisotropy. Coercive field H_C values range from 2.45 Oe for Fe/Si(100) to 17.65 Oe for Fe/Si(111) for the same Fe thickness (45 nm).