Effect of Lattice Strain on Soft Magnetic Properties in FeCo/NiFe(Cr) Thin Films with 2.4 T

T. Shimatsu, H. Katada, I. Watanabe, Hiroaki Muraoka, Y. Nakamura

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The soft magnetic property of FeCo films with thin NiFe or NiFeCr seed layers (saturation flux density of 2.4 T) is discussed in relation to lattice strain of the FeCo films. The coercivity along hard axis of magnetization (HcHA) reduces as the Ar pressure during sputtering deposition decreases, and moreover, shows the lowest value at FeCo thickness of 50-100 nm. FeCo films show bcc-(110) preferred grain orientation with the 〈110〉 direction sharply perpendicular to the film plane. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that the absolute magnitude of the lattice strains of (110), (-110), and (001) planes reduce as the Ar pressure decreases. Magnetic anisotropy energy in (110) plane (E) was calculated by including magnetostrictive energy due to the lattice strain. It was successfully shown that the Ar pressure dependence of E is in good agreement with that of H cHcA. Moreover, it is suggested that thickness dependence of HcHA is significantly related to that of magnetostrictive energy. It is likely that less lattice deformation, which is formed by the hetero-epitaxial growth of the FeCo(110) plane on the fcc-(111) plane of the NiFe(Cr) layer, is a key to derive soft magnetic properties in the FeCo/NiFe(Cr) films.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2365-2367
Number of pages3
JournalIEEE Transactions on Magnetics
Volume39
Issue number5 II
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003 Sept

Keywords

  • FeCo films
  • High saturation magnetization
  • Lattice strain
  • Magnetostrictive energy
  • Soft magnetic properties

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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