Mössbauer effect investigation of amorphous FeZr interlayers formed by solid state reaction

Recent investigations claimed the complete amorphization of elemental FeZr multilayer films by solid state reaction during vacuum annealing. In the present study it is established by57Fe conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) that annealing under ultrahigh vacuum conditions does not lead to complete amorphization: only a maximum thickness of ≈14 A interfacial α-Fe is transfered into the amorphous phase between 620–660 K. This thin amorphous layer apparently acts as a diffusion barrier and prohibits further growth of the amorphous phase. The average composition of the amorphous interfacial layer was determined from the Mossbauer spectral parameters.