Additive patterning of ion-beam-sputtered non-conformal Ni_(80)Fe_(20 )and Co_(70)Fe_(30) magnetic films

摘要

Additive patterning processes of magnetic films grown using an ion-beam sputter (IBS) system designed to produce non-conformal films are described. The effects of the ion-gun beam current and Ar pressure on the sputtering rates and roughness of Ni_(80)Fe_(20 )and Co_(70)Fe_(30) magnetic to films are investigated using atomic-force microscopy (AFM) and the films magnetic properties are measured using spatially resolved magneto-optical magnetometry. By tailoring the plasma solid angle, non-conformal film growth allows for simple additive patterning down to lateral dimensions ranging from a few microns to the deep-submicron regime, using templates defined by photolithography or electron-beam lithography, and shadow masks created using templated self-assembly. The magnedzation reversal exhibited by patterned sub-200 nm nanodisc arrays with drfferent lateral edge-roughness will be discussed.