Magnetic and magnetostrictive properties of amorphous TbFe/FeAl multilayer thin film

Exchange coupling multilayer thin films, which combined giant magnetostriction and soft magnetic properties, were of growing interest for applications. The TbFe/FeAl multilayer thin films were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering onto glass substrates. The microstructure, magnetic, and magnetostrictive properties of TbFe/FeAl multilayer thin film was investigated at different annealing temperatures. The results indicated that the soft magnetic and magnetostrictive properties for TbFe/FeAl multilayer thin film compared with TbFe single layer film were obviously improved. In comparison with the intrinsic coercivity JHc of 59.2 kA/m for TbFe single layer film, the intrinsic coercivity JHc for TbFe/FeAl multilayer thin films rapidly dropped to 29.6 kA/m. After optimal annealing (350 °C×60 min), magnetic properties of Hs=96 kA/m and JHc=16 kA/m were obtained, and magnetostrictive coefficient could reach to 574×10−6 under an external magnetic field of 400 kAm−1 for the TbFe/FeAl multilayer thin film.