Title :
Effects of Co/Sm Composition on the Ordered Phase Formation in Sm-Co Thin Films Grown on Cu(111) Single-Crystal Underlayers
Author :
Nukaga, Yuri ; Ohtake, Mitsuru ; Kirino, Fumiyoshi ; Futamoto, Masaaki
Author_Institution :
Fac. of Sci. & Eng., Chuo Univ., Tokyo
Abstract :
Sm-Co thin films were prepared on Cu(111) single-crystal underlayers by changing the Sm composition from 12 to 35 at.% and the effects of Co/Sm composition on the ordered phase formation were investigated. The epitaxial SmCo5 thin films were obtained for all samples. The SmCo5 epitaxial layer grown on Cu underlayer has two different types of domains whose orientations are rotated around film normal by 30 degrees to each other. Cu atoms substitute a part of the Co sites in the SmCo5 structure, and an alloy compound of Sm(Co,Cu) 5 phase was formed for all samples. The Sm(Co,Cu)5 phase was more Cu enriched with increasing the Sm composition. The Cu atom diffusion into Sm-Co layer plays an important role in assisting the formation of Sm(Co,Cu)5 ordered phase.
Keywords :
cobalt alloys; diffusion; epitaxial growth; magnetic domains; magnetic epitaxial layers; samarium alloys; Cu; Cu(111) single-crystal underlayers; SmCo5; diffusion; epitaxial layer; magnetic domains; ordered phase formation; thin films; Cu(111) single-crystal underlayer; SmCo$_{5}$ thin film; epitaxial growth; ordered phase;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2008.2001328
