Deposition of high permeability FeCoN films on mica substrates

Abstract

In this study, sheet mica was explored as an alternative substrate for thin film deposition due to its unique layered structure and atomically flat surface. Static magnetic properties and microwave permeability of sputtered FeCoN films on mica with and without SiO2 under-layer were examined. In-plane isotropy and a large coercivity of 70 Oe were observed for the film directly deposited on mica substrate. With the insertion of 40 nm SiO2 under-layer between the film and mica substrate, well-defined in-plane anisotropy is formed due to the significant reduce in film residual stress, associated with a 3 Oe coercive force along easy axis. As a result, excellent microwave properties have been achieved and are comparable with the same film on Si substrate. Moreover, the permeability spectra are surprisingly stable from room temperature up to 390 K. Mica is proved as a promising substrate for magnetic films with high microwave performance, which is a great advantage for practical applications. Furthermore, our r...