The effect of carbon overcoat diffusion on CoCrTa/Cr thin-film media

Author

Chang, Jack J.K. ; Johnson, Kenneth E. ; Kawayoshi, Harry ; Ling, Peiching ; Strathman, Michael

Author_Institution

MaxMedia, Hyundai Electron. America, San Jose, CA, USA

Volume

34

Issue

4

fYear

1998

fDate

7/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1567

Lastpage

1569

Abstract

The effect of carbon and chromium diffusion on CoCrTa thin-film media was studied. RBS (Rutherford backscattering) data and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) micrographs indicate that the CoCr ₁₄Ta₆ film has a higher film density than the CoCr ₁₄Ta₄ film. SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) data shows that Ta enhances the carbon diffusion into the magnetic layer and that Cr diffusion is not detectable in our process temperature range. The M_s (saturation magnetization) of the two alloys decreases as the magnetic thickness decreases, which may be due to the low film density of the magnetic layer and carbon diffusion into the magnetic layer. Carbon diffusion from the overcoat will play an important role in the performance of future low thickness MR media

Keywords

Rutherford backscattering; carbon; chemical interdiffusion; chromium alloys; cobalt alloys; ferromagnetic materials; magnetic recording noise; magnetic thin films; magnetisation; secondary ion mass spectra; sputtered coatings; tantalum alloys; transmission electron microscopy; CoCr₁₄Ta₄; CoCr₁₄Ta₆; CoCrTa-C; CoCrTa-Cr; CoCrTa/Cr thin-film media; Rutherford backscattering; carbon overcoat diffusion; chromium diffusion; composition profile; decoupling of magnetic grains; low thickness media; magnetic properties; magnetic thickness; media noise reduction; microstructure; recording performance; saturation magnetization; secondary ion mass spectroscopy; transmission electron microscopy; Chromium; Magnetic analysis; Magnetic films; Magnetic properties; Magnetic recording; Saturation magnetization; Sputtering; Substrates; Temperature; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.706617

Filename

706617