Hydrogenation of gadolinium thin films with a functional layer of niobium

Controlled hydrogen saturation is a promising method for controlling the structural and magnetic properties of rare-earth metal thin films. Optimum conditions for hydrogenation of gadolinium thin films have been determined to obtain the required phases: a solid solution of hydrogen in gadolinium or gadolinium hydrides GdH$_2$ and GdH$_3$. It has been shown that hydrogenation of the gadolinium layer can be carried out both through a catalytic surface layer of platinum and through a functional niobium layer, without using noble metals. By analyzing the structural changes in the films, the processes of guiding of these two types in Gd thin films have been compared.