Distribution of Axes of Easy Magnetization of RE-TM Films: Bias Voltage Dependence

The authors report the results of experiments to test their hypothesis that the distribution of the easy magnetization axis in magneto-optical recording films (Gd-Tb-Co, Gd-Tb-Co-Fe) depends on the substrate bias voltage Vb during film formation by RF sputtering. Experiments performed for (Gd0.80Tb0.20)0.29 (Co0.83Fe0.17)0.71 films, none of which had uniaxial anisotropy in a diagonal direction, indicated that the angle of inclination of the easy magnetization axis from the normal to the film, ¿0, does indeed decrease as Vb is increased.