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Investigations of the polymer/magnetic interface of organic spin-valves

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Anders Barlow

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Abstract

This work investigates the top interface of an organic spin-valve, to determine the interactions between the polymer and top magnetic electrode. The polymers studied are regio-regular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT) and poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-13]thiophene (PBTTT) and the magnetic top electrodes are NiFe and Fe. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to determine the bonding at the interface, along with the extent of how oxidised the magnetic layers are, while atomic force microscopy (AFM) is used to determine the surface roughness. A magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometer is used to study the magnetic properties of the top electrode. It is shown that at the organic-magnetic interface the magnetic atoms interact with the polymer, as metallic-sulphide and metallic-carbide species are present at the interface. It is also shown that the structure of the polymer influences the anisotropy of the magnetic electrode, such that the magnetic electrodes grown on RR-P3HT have uniaxial anisotropy, while those grown on PBTTT are isotropic. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Morley NA, Dost R, Lingam ASV, Barlow AJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Applied Surface Science

Year: 2015

Volume: 359

Pages: 704-713

Print publication date: 30/12/2015

Online publication date: 31/10/2015

Acceptance date: 28/10/2015

ISSN (print): 0169-4332

ISSN (electronic): 1873-5584

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.10.209

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.10.209

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