Magnetic and Diffusional Properties of Compositionally modulated Amorphous CoTi/CoNb Alloys

Studies to determine the effects of alternating layers of positive-magnetostriction a-CoTi and negative-magnetostriction a-CoNb, to investigate the consequences for the film magnetic properties, and to elucidate the Nb-Ti interdiffusion mechanism, are described. Co80Ti20/Co80Nb20 and Co80Ti20/Co70Si15B15 films, compositionally modulated with wavelengths of 30 to 60 Ã…, were prepared by sputtering. The CoTi/CoNb coercivity was found to be increased compared with CoNb, CoTi, and CoNbTi films. The compositionally modulated structure changes to a simple periodic structure through low-temperature heat treatment, but this transition is apparently reversible at higher temperatures through some anomalous diffusion mechanism.