Effect of the Sputtering Power Density on Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of CoFeSiB Thin Films

Author

Grigoras, Marian ; Lupu, Nicoleta ; Chiriac, Horia

Author_Institution

Nat. Inst. of R&D for Tech. Phys., Iasi, Romania

Volume

47

Issue

10

fYear

2011

Firstpage

3886

Lastpage

3888

Abstract

The correlation between composition, microstructure, and magnetic properties of as-deposited CoFeSiB thin films has been studied by varying the sputtering power density of Co target. The CoFeSiB alloy film shows significantly different microstructure and magnetic properties depending on the Co concentration. When the Co concentration is below 72.2 at.%, the deposited thin films consist of a single amorphous phase and behave magnetically soft. Meanwhile, above 72.2 at.%, the structure consists of Co nanocrystals embedded within the amorphous matrix, and the codeposited samples show the typical antiferromagnetic exchange coupling at the interface between nanocrystals and amorphous matrix.

Keywords

antiferromagnetic materials; boron alloys; cobalt alloys; iron alloys; magnetic thin films; metallic thin films; silicon alloys; soft magnetic materials; sputter deposition; CoFeSiB; antiferromagnetic exchange coupling; cobalt concentration; magnetic properties; microstructural properties; nanocrystals; single amorphous phase; soft magnetic materials; sputtering power density effect; thin films; Amorphous magnetic materials; Iron; Magnetic properties; Magnetic tunneling; Nanocrystals; Silicon; Sputtering; Co-sputtering; magnetic properties; microstructure; thin films;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMAG.2011.2157477

Filename

6027640