The effect of annealing on single-layer CoCrPtNb thin films

摘要

The effect of Nb addition on grain size segregation and intergranular coupling of ternary CoCrPt alloys prepared by annealing of crystalline samples and crystallization of the Nb-rich (more than 4.6 at.%) amorphous films is investigated. Mean surface roughness as a function of Nb addition decreased for Nb contents of up to 2.7 at.% and then increased. The size and distribution of magnetic clusters were significantly affected by Nb addition. Vacuum annealing of the ternary and quaternary films (2.7 at.% Nb) increased the coercivity of the films from 53.71 kA/m and 52.09 kA/m to about 61.14 kA/m and 105 kA/m, respectively. Film with 12.1 at.% Nb was also produced and then annealed at different times and temperatures. Increasing the temperature to 700 ℃ caused the recrystallization of the 12.1 at.% Nb amorphous film. The observed magnetic properties are discussed in terms of composition, crystallographic orientation of deposited layer and oxidation of elements during annealing.