0000000000722650
AUTHOR
E Arbelo
Brillouin light scattering study of Co$_{2}$Cr$_{0.6}$Fe$_{0.4}$Al and Co$_{2}$FeAl Heusler compounds
The thermal magnonic spectra of Co$_{2}$Cr$_{0.6}$Fe$_{0.4}$Al (CCFA) and Co$_2$FeAl were investigated using Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy (BLS). For CCFA, the exchange constant A (exchange stiffness D) is found to be 0.48 $\mu$erg/cm (203 meV A$^2$), while for Co$_2$FeAl the corresponding values of 1.55 $\mu$erg/cm (370 meV A$^2$) were found. The observed asymmetry in the BLS spectra between the Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies was assigned to an interplay between the asymmetrical profiles of hybridized Damon-Esbach and perpendicular standing spin-wave modes, combined with the optical sensitivity of the BLS signal to the upper side of the CCFA or Co$_2$FeAl film.
Morphology and magnetoresistance of Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al-based tunnelling junctions
Some ferromagnetic Heusler compounds are theoretically predicted to be half metallic materials, i.e. to be characterized by a huge spin polarization at the Fermi energy. We investigate the correlations between junction preparation conditions, morphology and transport properties of planar MgO/Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al/AlOx/Co/CoOx/Pt tunnelling junctions. Epitaxial Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al thin films were deposited by dc and rf magnetron sputtering on different buffer layers (Cr, Fe, MgO) on MgO(1 0 0) substrates. By RHEED, LEED and in situ STM investigations different surface morphologies were observed. Atomically flat surfaces with Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al unit cell sized steps (B2 structure) were obtained by rf sput…