Magnetic properties and influence of nitrogen in sputtered TbFeCo films

In order to clarify the origin of the perpendicular anisotropy in amorphous TbFeCo sputtered films, the intrinsic magnetic properties and the influence of nitrogen on magnetic properties have been investigated in detail. It was found that the stress induced anisotropy was the dominant origin in the composition range which shows large magnetostriction. Those magnetic properties, particularly the perpendicular anisotropy and the magnetostriction are remarkably diminished by the incorporation of nitrogen into the film. Nitrogen atoms affect Tb atoms by decreasing the Tb sublattice magnetization. The deactivation of Tb atoms leads to the decrease of the magnetostriction resulting in the reduction of the perpendicular anisotropy.