Determination of spin distributions in ion-beam magnetic textured iron films by magnetic orientation Mossbauer spectroscopy

A promising approach by which to gain information about the spin distributions in different sample layers using depth-sensitive angle-dependent conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy is presented in combination with magneto-optical Kerr effect, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray diffraction investigations. Three 77 nm thick Fe films containing a 15 nm Fe-57 marker layer at different depths were deposited on Si(100) substrates and irradiated under well defined mechanical stress with 200 keV Xe ions. The distribution of the spins in the sample plane was analyzed by Mossbauer spectroscopy and by tilting the sample toward the incident gamma beam and observing the variation in angle-dependent relative intensity of the sextet lines. For the sample with the sensitive marker layer in the middle of the ferromagnetic film, all spins were found to be oriented exactly along the mechanical stress axis. This agrees with the angular properties of the macroscopic hysteresis curves measured by the magneto-optic Kerr effect. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.