The effects of underlayer NiFeX on the magnetic properties of CoPt films

Author

Xue, Song S. ; Ryan, Patrick J. ; Dolejsi, James F.

Author_Institution

Seagate Technol., Minneapolis, MN, USA

Volume

33

Issue

5

fYear

1997

fDate

9/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2908

Lastpage

2910

Abstract

The effects of soft magnetic underlayer, NiFeX, on the magnetic properties of CoPt films has been studied as a function of substrate bias and Ar pressure during the NiFeX deposition and sputter etch time prior to the CoPt film deposition. It is concluded that the FCC (111) texture of NiFeX plays a dominant role in the c-axis orientation of CoPt films, Applying substrate bias or using P-Ta as an underlayer, the FCC (111) texture of NiFeX films can be greatly enhanced. Applying no substrate bias and sputtering at high Ar pressure, the FCC (111) texture of NiPeX films can be suppressed. As a consequence, the anisotropy of the CoPt films can be made either in-plane or perpendicular depending on the crystallinity of the NiPeX films. It is also found that a strong ferromagnetic exchange field between NiPeX and CoPt films favors the growth of CoPt films with c-axis in-plane, with a typical symptom of high in-plane moment thickness product and low remnant coercivity

Keywords

cobalt alloys; coercive force; exchange interactions (electron); ferromagnetic materials; iron alloys; magnetic anisotropy; magnetic thin films; nickel alloys; platinum alloys; remanence; soft magnetic materials; sputter etching; sputtered coatings; Ar pressure; CoPt; CoPt films; FCC (111) texture; c-axis orientation; crystallinity; high in-plane moment thickness product; low remnant coercivity; magnetic properties; soft magnetic underlayer; sputter etch time; strong ferromagnetic exchange field; substrate bias; underlayer NiFeX; Argon; FCC; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic films; Magnetic properties; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Soft magnetic materials; Sputter etching; Sputtering; Substrates;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.617794

Filename

617794