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Publication
Applied Physics Letters
Paper
Observation of magnetic dead layers at the surface of iron oxide films
Abstract
Depth profiles of the magnetization of sputtered films of Fe 3O4 and its oxidized form, γ-Fe2O 3, were obtained by the new polarized neutron reflection technique. We find that the magnetization of Fe3O4 is constant throughout the thickness (2600 Å) of the film except for a surface region about 25 Å deep corresponding to the surface roughness. In contrast the oxidized sample shows a magnetically dead layer ∼150 Å thick at the surface. X-ray and transmission electron microscopy studies give no evidence that the surface layers differ structurally from the bulk of the film, although there is the possibility of a highly defective surface region formed during the oxidation process.