The effect of orientation, grain size and polymorphism on magnetic properties of sputtered Co-Re thin film media

The correlation between the microstructure and the magnetic hysteretic properties was investigated. The analysis of the microstructure was made using a conventional and a 2½-D TEM analysis method. The results of the investigation show that the polymorphic transformation of HCP to FCC causes the decrease in grain size of the sputtered film. The effect of the grain size, preferred orientation and polymorphism on the value of Hcwas investigated from a series of equiaxial-shaped particle films. The results show that the dominant factor which influences the coercivity of the film is the grain size rather than the preferred orientation or the existence of isolated FCC crystallites in the film as the result of polymorphism. The squareness ratio, Mr/Mts, of the series of film was also investigated. The results show that the preferred orientation of the crystallites in the film affect the squareness of the loop.