In Situ Conductance of Fe/Si and Fe/Ge Multilayers

In this paper we study Fe/Si and Fe/Ge multilayers prepared at room temperature by magnetron sputtering. In situ conductance measurements reveal the formation of interfacial Fe-Si and Fe-Ge mixtures. During the Fe deposition a modification of growth mode is noticed. Deposition of Si (or Ge) onto Fe leads to the reduction of the Fe layer thickness due to interdiffusion, and Fe-Si (or Fe-Ge) structures appear. Above about 1.3 nm of deposited Si (1.5 nm of Ge) nominally pure Si (Ge) starts growing. Surface topography of the Fe/Si multilayers is studied by atomic force microscopy.