FeTiB nanocrystalline films: Static and dynamic magnetic properties in accordance with phase composition and magnetic structure

Abstract

Nanocrystalline Fe100–56.8Ti0–13.5B0–34.2 films 1.4 µm thick are prepared by dc magnetron deposition on glass substrates. The structure and magnetic properties of the films are comprehensively characterized and analyzed. The lattice parameter and the grain size of the bcc Fe-based phase (2-25 nm), parameters of the stochastic magnetic structure (the relative size and the effective anisotropy field of stochastic domains D1/2<Ha> and the local magnetic anisotropy field at the grain scale), saturation magnetization Ms, coercive field Hc, static permeability mst, and ferromagnetic resonance frequency fr of the films are quantitatively estimated and their interrelations are studied. As Ti and B contents increase, the phase composition of the films changes in accordance with the sequence αFe - αFe(Ti) - αFe(Ti) + TiB2 - amorphous, wherein Ms decreases from 2.1 to 0.3 T. The Hc values vary in the interval 7–70 Oe determined by the D1/2 <Ha> field or by other magnetic anisotropy sources. The μst values vary in the interval 20–140. The μst values obtained by the Lorentzian dispersion law adequately fall within the range of the calculated permeabilities, which is limited by the coercive field obtained from the hysteresis loops and the anisotropy field determined by Kittel equation. The μst values of the films are kept up to the frequencies of at least 1.5 GHz. The frequency dependences of the permeability of the films are analyzed taking into account the influence of skin effect and are considered in terms of Acher’s law. The obtained values of the Acher’s constant (less than 0.3) indicate the possibility of reaching the higher values of μst and fr at the expense of elimination of the perpendicular anisotropy, in particular, via the formation of thinner films as compared to the films under study (1.4 µm thick). According to the available literature data, the presented investigations, using the FeTiB films as an example, were performed for the first time.