Analytical electron microscopy study of growth mechanism for smoothing of metallic multilayer thin films

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 89; no. 16; pp. 162509 - 162509-3
• Main Authors: Ozatay, O., Mkhoyan, K. A., Thomas, M. G., Fuchs, G. D., Silcox, J., Buhrman, R. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Institute of Physics 16-10-2006
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2358958

We have used scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy techniques to study the nature of interfacial interactions in a
Ta
∕
Cu
O
x
stack that give rise to a smooth surface morphology, which can be utilized for seeding thin magnetic multilayer devices. Our measurements reveal that the interfacial smoothing is mainly due to the preferential reaction of Ta with O at the
Ta
∕
Cu
O
x
interface assisted by grain boundary diffusion of oxygen which thereby acts to smooth out the surface roughness created by the large crystalline grains of Cu.