Interface mixing of Al/Fe and Fe/Al bilayer systems and the role of Ti as a stabilizing interlayer using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray reflectometry

Al∕Fe and Fe∕Al bilayer films with and without a Ti stabilizing interlayer at the interface have been grown on Si wafers using dc magnetron sputtering. X-ray reflectometry and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry were used to probe individual layer thicknesses and intermixing lengths. It is observed that the intermixing length is always higher when the Fe layer is on top of the Al layer. The samples with the Ti stabilizing layer, particularly when the Al layer is on top of the Fe, show that the Ti layer promotes the formation of abrupt interfaces.