This book provides a modern introduction to the growth, characterization, and physics of iron-based superconducting thin films. Iron pnictide and iron chalcogenide compounds have become intensively studied key materials in condensed matter physics due to their potential for high temperature superconductivity. With maximum critical temperatures of around 60 K, the new superconductors rank first after the celebrated cuprates, and the latest announcements on ultrathin films promise even more. Thin film synthesis of these superconductors began in 2008 immediately after their discovery, and this growing research area has seen remarkable progress up to the present day, especially with regard to the iron chalcogenides FeSe and FeSe1-xTex, the iron pnictide BaFe2-xCoxAs2 and iron-oxyarsenides. This essential volume provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art coverage of iron-based superconducting thin films in topical chapters with detailed information on thin film synthesis and growth, analytical film characterization, interfaces, and various aspects on physics and materials properties. Current efforts towards technological applications and functional films are outlined and discussed. The development and latest results for monolayer FeSe films are also presented. This book serves as a key reference for students, lecturers, industry engineers, and academic researchers who would like to gain an overview of this complex and growing research area.

This work describes the synthesis methods to optimize the quality and stability of FeTeOx/FeTe thin films and characterization of the low temperature crystal and magnetic structure of superconducting FeTeOx/non-superconducting FeTe film system. Iron based superconductors have reinvigorated studies of high temperature superconductivity since their discovery in 2008. The 11 family of superconductors are the simplest among Fe-based compounds. FeTe, which is non-superconducting and magnetic, is considered the parent compound for this family. FeTe can be made superconducting by incorporating interstitial oxygen. In this work, an extensive study has been done to explore the effect of growth parameters for the pulsed laser deposition technique on FeTeOx film growth. A new growth mode has been introduced to produce films with stable oxygen concentration and better crystalline quality. High-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction was used to study the low temperature crystal structure of superconducting FeTeOx. We found that superconducting FeTeOx undergoes a structural transition from tetragonal to monoclinic similar to the parent FeTe but no change could be detected in the crystal symmetry of FeTeOx in the superconducting state compared to its normal state. An anomaly in the c-axis lattice parameter was observed at the vicinity of the superconducting transition. Using the Ehrenfest relation and above anomaly we predicted a large enhancement of Tc in strained FeTeOx films. Low temperature neutron diffraction and Mossbauer spectroscopy reveal that superconducting FeTeOx films order aniferromagnetically around 65 K similar to parent FeTe and suggest a suppression of magnetism upon entering the superconducting state.

The ability to understand and control the unique properties of interfaces has created an entirely new field of magnetism which already has a profound impact in technology and is providing the basis for a revolution in electronics. The last decade has seen dramatic progress in the development of magnetic devices for information technology but also in the basic understanding of the physics of magnetic nanostructures. This volume describes thin film magnetic properties and methods for characterising thin film structure topics that underpin the present 'spintronics' revolution in which devices are based on combined magnetic materials and semiconductors. Volume IV deals with the fundamentals of spintronics: magnetoelectronic materials, spin injection and detection, micromagnetics and the development of magnetic random access memory based on GMR and tunnel junction devices. Together these books provide readers with a comprehensive account of an exciting and rapidly developing field. The treatment is designed to be accessible both to newcomers and to experts already working in this field who would like to get a better understanding of this very diversified area of research.

In this work the interactions between neighboring superconducting thin film and ferromagnetic structures, i.e. superconductor-ferromagnet hybrid systems, were studied. A type-II superconducting thin film (Pb82Bi12), was deposited in close proximity to various ferromagnetic structures. These magnetic structures include: (i) alternating iron-brass shims of 275 mu m period, (ii) an array of 4 mu m wide Co stripes with smaller period (9 mu m), (iii) a square array of 50nm diameter, high aspect ratio (5-7) Ni rods with 250nm period. Measurements of critical transport current (IC), resistance (RH(T)) and second critical field (HC2) are reported. A variety of novel effects (enhancement of (IC) and (HC2), matching field effect, field compensation effect, and large hysteresis) are also reported. Using measurements on thin superconducting films atop a Co stripe array with a 9 mu m period, a superconductor-ferromagnet hybrid device (a mechanical superconducting persistent switch) is proposed. In addition, scanning Hall probe microscopy (SHPM) and other imaging techniques were used to characterize the magnetic properties of the systems mentioned. The SHPM was also used to acquire B-H and M-H curves. An additional sharp magnetic needle and electromagnetic coil assembly intended for micromanipulation of small magnetic particles and individual cells was also characterized.

The Conference on the Science and Technology of Thin Film Superconductors was conceived in the early part of 1988 as a forum for the specialist in thin film superconductivity. The conference was held on November 14-18, 1988, in Co lorado Springs, Co lorado. Al though many excellent superconductivity conferences had been convened in the wake of the 1986-1987 discoveries in high temperature superconductivity, thin film topics were often dispersed among the sessions of a more general conference agenda. The response to the Conference on the Science and Technology of Thin Film Superconductors confirmed the need for an extended conference devoted to thin film superconductors. These proceedings are a major contribution to the technnology of thin film superconductivity because of the breadth and quality of the articles provided by leaders in the field. The proceedings are divided into articles on laser deposition, sputtering, evaporation, metal organic chemical vapor deposition, thick film, substrate studies, characterization, patterning and applications, and general properties. Most of the articles discuss scientific issues for high temperature thin film superconductors, although the conference was to be a forum for technology and scientific questions for both low and high temperature superconductivity. For the first day of the 5 day conference, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory had organized an excellent set of short courses in superconduc t ing thin film devices.