Spin and orbital magnetic moment of reconstructed √2 × √2R45º magnetite(001)

© 2015 American Physical Society. The surface of a magnetite single crystal with (001) orientation has been prepared by sputtering/annealing cycles providing the √2×2√2R45º reconstruction. The distribution of magnetic domains on the surface has been imaged by x-ray magnetic dichroism in a photoemission microscope. The easy axes are along the surface in-plane 110 directions. The near-surface magnetic moment was determined by applying the sum rules to XMCD spectra obtained with different kinetic energies of the secondary electrons. A reduced total moment of 3.3 μB and a ratio of about 0.10 between orbital and spin moment was found, which we attribute to the surface reconstruction.Peer Reviewe

The Effect of the Individual Species of the N Plasma on the Characteristics of InAsN Quantum Dots Grown by MBE

The influence of the different species which constitute N plasma, such as atomic nitrogen, diatomic nitrogen and ionized species, on the morphological and optical characteristics of the InAsN quantum dots (QDs) has been studied in this work. We have performed several sets of growths modifying in each one the concentration of these species. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photoluminescence (PL) techniques have been used to perform the surface characterization and the optical analysis of these samples, respectively. Clearly, we have found a strong correlation between the structural and optical characteristics of the InAsN QDs with the plasma composition used during the growth. Ionized species favour the high density of QDs, atomic nitrogen increase dimensions of the QDs and molecular nitrogen does not almost affect the characteristics of these nanostructures. An increment of ionized species in the plasma yields a higher density of QDs, an increase in the atomic nitrogen increases the dimensions of the QDs and the molecular nitrogen flux used does not almost affect the characteristics of these nanostructures. Also, we have found that there is not redshift of the peak wavelength of the PL emission as we increase the atomic nitrogen concentration during the growth. This may be due to equal nitrogen incorporation into the quantum dots. We supposed that the mechanism dominating in it is possible that the nitrogen incorporation in these types of nanostructures depend on another growth parameter

Evaluation of the In desorption during the capped process in diluted nitride In(Ga)As quantum dots

Diluted nitride self-assembled In(Ga)AsN quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaAs substrates are potential candidates to emit in the windows of maximum transmittance for optical fibres (1.3-1.55 μm). In this paper, we analyse the effect of nitrogen addition on the indium desorption occurring during the capping process of InxGa1−xAs QDs (x = l and 0.7). The samples have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy and studied through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence techniques. The composition distribution inside the dots was determined by statistical moiré analysis and measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. First, the addition of nitrogen in In(Ga)As QDs gave rise to a strong redshift in the emission peak, together with a large loss of intensity and monochromaticity. Moreover, these samples showed changes in the QDs morphology as well as an increase in the density of defects. The statistical compositional analysis displayed a normal distribution in InAs QDs with an average In content of 0.7. Nevertheless, the addition of Ga and/or N leads to a bimodal distribution of the Indium content with two separated QD populations. We suggest that the nitrogen incorporation enhances the indium fixation inside the QDs where the indium/gallium ratio plays an important role in this process. The strong redshift observed in the PL should be explained not only by the N incorporation but also by the higher In content inside the QD

Co on Fe3O4(001): Towards precise control of surface properties

A novel approach to incorporate cobalt atoms into a magnetite single crystal is demonstrated by a combination of x-ray spectro-microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and density-functional theory calculations. Co is deposited at room temperature on the reconstructed magnetite (001) surface filling first the subsurface octahedral vacancies and then occupying adatom sites on the surface. Progressive annealing treatments at temperatures up to 733 K diffuse the Co atoms into deeper crystal positions, mainly into octahedral ones with a marked inversion level. The oxidation state, coordination, and magnetic moments of the cobalt atoms are followed from their adsorption to their final incorporation into the bulk, mostly as octahedral Co. This precise control of the near-surface Co atoms location opens up the way to accurately tune the surface physical and magnetic properties of mixed spinel oxides.Peer Reviewe

Resonant Raman study of local vibrational modes in AlGaAsN layers

We report on resonant inelastic light scattering in dilute AlGaAsN films. Intense narrow peaks associated to N-related local vibration modes (LVM) have been observed around 325, 385, 400, 450, 500 and 540 cm−1. Their frequencies are compared to density functional theory supercell calculations of AlnGa4−nN complexes (n=1−4). We find clear indications of the formation of Al4N complexes. The values of the extended phonon frequencies reveal changes in the N distribution depending on the growth conditions. The LVM spectra are resonant in the energy range from 1.75 to 1.79 eV, which corresponds to an N-related electronic transition. Our results confirm the preferential bonding of N to Al in AlGaAsN

Role of the substrate on the magnetic anisotropy of magnetite thin films grown by ion-assisted deposition

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under projects numbers MAT2012-38045-C04-02 and MAT2012-38045-C04-01.Peer Reviewe

GaAsSb-capped InAs quantum dots: From enlarged quantum dot height to alloy fluctuations

The Sb-induced changes in the optical properties of GaAsSb-capped InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) are shown to be strongly correlated with structural changes. The observed redshift of the photoluminescence emission is shown to follow two different regimes. In the first regime, with Sb concentrations up to ~12%, the emission wavelength shifts up to ~1280 nm with a large enhancement of the luminescence characteristics. A structural analysis at the atomic scale by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy shows that this enhancement arises from a gradual increase in QD height, which improves carrier confinement and reduces the sensitivity of the excitonic band gap to QD size fluctuations within the ensemble. The increased QD height results from the progressive suppression of QD decomposition during the capping process due to the presence of Sb atoms on the growth surface. In the second regime, with Sb concentrations above ~12%, the emission wavelength shifts up to ~1500 nm, but the luminescence characteristics progressively degrade with the Sb content. This degradation at high Sb contents occurs as a result of composition modulation in the capping layer and strain-induced Sb migration to the top of the QDs, together with a transition to a type-II band alignment

Unaltered reversible magnetic transition in Fe nanostructures upon ambient exposure

High aspect-ratio Fe nanostrips are known to reversibly switch from a single-domain magnetic state to a multidomain diamond pattern as a function of temperature (T) and width. This magnetic bistability can be understood by the temperature-dependent balance between magnetocrystalline, shape and magnetoelastic anisotropies and has potential applications in magnetic logic devices. However, as Fe nanostructures easily oxidize, protecting the surface with capping layers may be required, which could largely affect the anisotropy balance. Here, we employ x-ray magnetic circular dichroism-photoemission electron microscopy (XMCD–PEEM) to study these thin Fe nanostrips before and after exposure to air.Peer Reviewe

Reprint of Unaltered reversible magnetic transition in Fe nanostructures upon ambient exposure

High aspect-ratio Fe nanostrips are known to reversibly switch from a single-domain magnetic state to a multidomain diamond pattern as a function of temperature (T) and width. This magnetic bistability can be understood by the temperature-dependent balance between magnetocrystalline, shape and magnetoelastic anisotropies and has potential applications in magnetic logic devices. However, as Fe nanostructures easily oxidize, protecting the surface with capping layers may be required, which could largely affect the anisotropy balance. Here, we employ x-ray magnetic circular dichroism-photoemission electron microscopy (XMCD–PEEM) to study these thin Fe nanostrips before and after exposure to air.Peer Reviewe