We measured x-ray magnetic circular dichroism of Co films on Pd(111) surface with and without Pd capping layer at the Co L$_2$,$_3$ edges. Perpendicular magnetization and orbital-moment enhancement are induced by the capping layer. The increase of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy induced by capping layer is considered to result from the increase of surface anisotropy due to the hybridization at the surface.

We investigated physical properties of ion-beam mixed Fe/si multilayerd films(MLF) prepared by rf sputtering onto glass substrates at room temperature. Such an ion-beam treatment has led to noticeable changes in the structural and physical properties of the MLF: the formation of a new phase which is characterized by a crystalline silicide with a low coercivity and Tc = 550 K. In contrast to the as-prepared state, the ion-beam mixed MLF contains two magnetic phases. One of them is a very soft (Hc < 2 Oe), but microscopically homogeneous one with M$\sub$eff/=6.7 kG.

Fe-Au alloys are characterized by the complete solubility, and exhibit an fcc-bcc structural transformation at the Fe-rich side. The magneto-optical(equatorial Ken effect : EKE) and optical properties of Fe$\_$1-x/Aux (0 < x < 1) were investigated in the 0.5 - 5.0 eV energy range. The x-ray diffraction study shows the structural fcc-bcc transformation about 80 at. % of Fe. Noticeable changes in the optical properties caused by the fcc-bcc structural transformation was observed. The shape and intensity of the EKE spectra as well as the field dependence of the magneto-optical response were also significantly changed. It is thought that these changes are mainly comes from the induced magnetic moment in Au(and/or the emhanced magnetic moment of Fe). The nature of the prominent structure observed in the UV range of the magneto-optical Ken effect of Au/Fe multilayered films are disscussed in connection with the above results.

To obtain high remnant polarization and good crystalinity of ferroelectric thin films in non-volatile memory devices, the high temperature treatment in oxygen ambient is inevitable. Severe problems that occur in this process are oxygen diffusion into substrate, oxidation of electrode and buffer layer, degradation of microstructure and so on. We made ruthenium dioxide thin film by reactive sputtering with oxygen and argon mixture atmosphere. Comparing quantitatively the core-level spectra of Ru and RuO$_2$ obtained by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), we found that chemical state of RuO$_2$ is very stable and of good resistance to oxygen diffusion and oxidation of adjacent layers. It opens the use of RuO$_2$ thin film as a multifunctional layer of good conducting electrode and resistive barrier for the diffusion and the oxidation. We also suggest a correct understanding of Ru 3d core-level spectrum for RuO$_2$ based on the scheme of final state screening and charge transfer satellites.

We report best dielectric function of ZnS by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the 3.7 - 6.0 eV photon energy range at room temperature. Using proper wet chemical etching procedure, natural overlayer was removed to obtain the pure dielectric function of ZnS, which had a higher <$\xi$$_2$> value at the El band gap peak than that previously reported. We also determined the dielectric property of the natural overlayer on ZnS by following the evolution of <$\xi$$_2$> with chemical etching. We found that the optical property of the overlayer was well described by amorphous semiconductor model.