Effect of underlayer on thickness dependent magnetic properties of Ni-Fe films

Permalloy (Ni₈₁Fe₁₉) thin films are considered to be one of the promising candidates for various modern magnetoelectronics devices due to their excellent soft magnetic properties. To control soft magnetic properties, extensive efforts have been made on the various growth conditions of the Permalloy films both in single and multilayer form. Kim et al reported the variation of uniaxial anisotropy with film thickness and applied magnetic field during the film deposition. On the other hand, Gong et al reported that structural and magnetotransport properties depend strongly on the substrate nature and underlayer materials. In this study, we have carried out systematic investigation on the effect of thermally resistive Ta underlayer and externally applied magnetic field on the structural and magnetic properties of Permalloy film prepared over a wide range of film thicknesses.