Soft-magnetic properties and structure of Fe/CoNbZr multilayers

Journal Article · Mon Dec 12 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.100238· OSTI ID:6664187

Dirne, F W.A.; den Broeder, F J.A.; Tolboom, J A.M.; de Wit, H J; Witmer, C H.M.

The magnetic and structural properties of ion beam sputtered Fe/CoNbZr multilayers were studied as a function of the CoNbZr and Fe layer thickness. Good soft-magnetic properties (coercivity <40 A/m and permeability >1000) are obtained only when the Fe grains are small, which is the case for multilayers with Fe layer thicknesses below 10 nm and CoNbZr layer thicknesses above 4 nm. Thick CoNbZr layers (>4 nm) are amorphous and repeated nucleation of Fe grains is observed. When the CoNbZr layers are too thin (<3 nm) they are crystalline and do not interrupt the Fe grain growth. The resulting columnar growth of Fe throughout the total film thickness leads then to a drastic decrease of permeability and increase of coercivity.

• Research Organization: Philips Research Laboratories, P. O. Box 80.000, 5600 JA Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• OSTI ID: 6664187
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 53:24; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals &amp; Alloys-- Physical Properties
ALLOYS
BEAMS
COBALT ALLOYS
COERCIVE FORCE
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIMENSIONS
ELEMENTS
FILMS
GRAIN GROWTH
ION BEAMS
IRON
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
METALS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
PERMEABILITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SPUTTERING
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS