TY - JOUR
T1 - Structure and magnetic properties of Fe-Cr-N sputter-deposited films
AU - Peng, D. L.
AU - Konno, T. J.
AU - Sumiyama, K.
AU - Onodera, H.
AU - Suzuki, K.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Dr. T. Takada and Mr. Y. Murakami for their help in the chemical analysis and Mr. T. Kamaya for the SEM observation. One of the authors (D.L.P) appreciates the financial support from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Japan. This work was also partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (No. 08405043) given by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Japan.
PY - 1997/8/1
Y1 - 1997/8/1
N2 - Structure and magnetic properties of Fe-Cr-N ternary films prepared by DC magnetron facing-target sputtering have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and Mössbauer effect. These films exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We found that N2-to-Ar flow ratio, Fe-Cr target area ratio and substrate temperature during film preparation are the factors influencing the anisotropy. Adjusting the chemical composition and deposition parameters, we obtained saturation magnetization of 300-400 emu/cm3 and perpendicular coercivity of 800-1100 Oe. XRD measurements show that the films generally consist of the α-Fe(Cr) and γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx(x < 1) phases, and that the enhancement of perpendicular anisotropy is always accompanied by a decrease in the grain size of α-Fe(Cr) phase and growth of the γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx phase with a pronounced (2 0 0) texture. The Mössbauer spectra show that the γ′-(Fe, Cr)4Nx phase is nonmagnetic at room temperature. Using the SEM and TEM, we found that the nonmagnetic γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx phase displays columnar growth and that the small ferromagnetic α-Fe(Cr) grains of about 2-20 nm in diameter are located at grain boundaries of γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx grains. Shape anisotropy seems to play an important part in the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in these Fe-Cr-N films.
AB - Structure and magnetic properties of Fe-Cr-N ternary films prepared by DC magnetron facing-target sputtering have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and Mössbauer effect. These films exhibit perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We found that N2-to-Ar flow ratio, Fe-Cr target area ratio and substrate temperature during film preparation are the factors influencing the anisotropy. Adjusting the chemical composition and deposition parameters, we obtained saturation magnetization of 300-400 emu/cm3 and perpendicular coercivity of 800-1100 Oe. XRD measurements show that the films generally consist of the α-Fe(Cr) and γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx(x < 1) phases, and that the enhancement of perpendicular anisotropy is always accompanied by a decrease in the grain size of α-Fe(Cr) phase and growth of the γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx phase with a pronounced (2 0 0) texture. The Mössbauer spectra show that the γ′-(Fe, Cr)4Nx phase is nonmagnetic at room temperature. Using the SEM and TEM, we found that the nonmagnetic γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx phase displays columnar growth and that the small ferromagnetic α-Fe(Cr) grains of about 2-20 nm in diameter are located at grain boundaries of γ′-(Fe,Cr)4Nx grains. Shape anisotropy seems to play an important part in the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in these Fe-Cr-N films.
KW - Fe-Cr-N film
KW - Mössbauer effect
KW - Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
KW - Sputter-deposition
KW - Structure and morphology
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U2 - 10.1016/S0304-8853(97)00122-4
DO - 10.1016/S0304-8853(97)00122-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0031207948
SN - 0304-8853
VL - 172
SP - 41
EP - 52
JO - Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
JF - Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
IS - 1-2
ER -