Magnetic property and microstructure of SmCo magnetic recording films

Cr/SmCo/Cr thin films with Sm concentration of 37.7 at.% were deposited on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. Measurement of magnetic properties showed that the SmCo film possessed good magnetic anisotropy, a high coercivity of 3019 kA/m and low magnetic exchange coupling. Microstructure analysis showed that crystallized SmCo5 magnetic phase, non-magnetic SmCo2 phase and Sm2Co7 phase co-existed in the film. The non-magnetic SmCo2 phase might function as isolator of SmCo grains, leading to a decrease of magnetic exchange coupling. Moreover, a Cr2O3 oxide layer which could protect the SmCo layer from oxidation formed at the surface of the Cr cap layer.