Title :
Effect of sputtering conditions, annealing and the microstructure of Cr underlayer on the magnetic properties of CoNiCr/Cr thin films
Author :
Duan, S.L. ; Artman, J.O. ; Lee, J.W. ; Wong, B. ; Laughlin, D.E.
Author_Institution :
Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA, USA
fDate :
9/1/1989 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The effects of RF power P, substrate heating, and substrate bias Vb on the structure and magnetic properties of CoNiCr thin films were studied. The films were deposited on glass and Cr/glass substrates by RF diode sputtering. For films deposited at higher P and at elevated substrate temperature Ts, the grain size increased. The texture in the Cr underlayer increased at higher Ts; this was accompanied by an increase in the texture in the CoNiCr film. In-plane coercivity H c also increased with P and Ts ; this is probably related to the increase in grain size as well as in CoNiCr texture. In the samples deposited with an applied Vb, the grains were considerably larger than in those prepared without bias. The Hc value and the magnetic domain morphology also changed with Vb; this is probably related to the increase in grain size. The H c of CoNiCr thin films also increased following annealing in vacuum
Keywords :
annealing; chromium alloys; cobalt alloys; coercive force; ferromagnetic properties of substances; grain size; magnetic domains; magnetic thin films; nickel alloys; sputtered coatings; texture; CoNiCr-Cr thin films; RF diode sputtering; annealing; coercivity; grain size; magnetic domain morphology; magnetic properties; sputtering conditions; substrate bias; substrate heating; texture; Annealing; Chromium; Glass; Grain size; Heating; Magnetic films; Microstructure; Radio frequency; Sputtering; Substrates;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on