Influence of ion assisted deposition on interface broadening in Fe/Al multilayers investigated by medium energy ion scattering

Trilayers of Al/Fe/Al and Al/Fe multilayers produced by magnetron sputtering both with and without ion assistance have been depth profiled using Auger electron spectroscopy and medium energy ion scattering. Important differences are observed in the layer structure, with ion assisted deposition giving the narrowest Al/Fe interfaces and so maintaining the most clearly defined layer structure. Both types of sputtering result in some oxygen contamination, particularly at the surface that modeling shows to be associated with the Al layers.