Correlation between sputtering parameters and composition of SmCo-based films for microelectromechanical system applications

Journal Article · Sun Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3098230· OSTI ID:21190095

Long, Peng; Huaiwu, Zhang; Qinghui, Yang; Yuanxun, Li; Yuanqiang, Song ^[1]; Jian, Shen ^[2]

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1. State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716 (United States)

About 3.0 {mu}m thick SmCo-based films with additives of Fe, Cu, and Zr were deposited on Si substrates. Based on a developed semiempirical theoretical model, the dependence of the film composition on the sputtering parameters was discussed. The experimental results show that the Sm concentration increases with decreasing sputtering power or increasing Ar gas pressure, which are in good agreement with the calculated results when the preferential sputtering effect is disregarded. The effect of the sputtering parameters on the film composition provides an opportunity for the same composite target to fabricate films with Sm concentration varying from 13.8 to 17.3 at. %, which is reasonable for the permanent magnetic phase transformation (Sm{sub 2}Co{sub 17}{yields}SmCo{sub 7}{yields}SmCo{sub 5}). Furthermore, the observed TbCu{sub 7}-type film shows a better crystal texture with a low remanence ratio for the hysteresis loops measured out plane to in plane of 0.08.

• OSTI ID: 21190095
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 105; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COBALT ALLOYS
COPPER ALLOYS
CRYSTALS
DEPOSITION
HYSTERESIS
IRON ALLOYS
PERMANENT MAGNETS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SAMARIUM ALLOYS
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
TEXTURE
THIN FILMS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS