Magnetic properties and structure of cobalt-platinum thin films

Abstract

The magnetic properties of RF sputtered Co-Pt alloy thin films were studied as a function of Pt content from 0 to 80 at%. At room temperature, ferromagnetic films were obtained in the range 0-32 and 40-80 at% Pt. For Pt contents between 32 and 40 at%, discontinuities in the magnetization, magnetostriction, and coercivity versus Pt content were observed; however no discontinuity was observed in the resistivity. The structure of films containing about 25 at% Pt is a mixture of hexagonal and face-centered cubic (FCC) phases. At this composition the magnetostriction is small, but coercivities are large-700 to 2000 Oe-and dependent upon film thickness. The coercivities of these films do not change with heat treatment up to temperatures of 600°C but decrease markedly at 700°C. The properties of equiatomic Co-Pt film s are similar to those of bulk alloys. In particular the large coercivity observed in films after heal treatment at 500° to 700°C is due to the formation of an ordered tetragonal phase within the face-centered cubic matrix. The structure of films of about 75 at% Pt is initially a disordered face-centered cubic phase and with heat treatment beginning at 500°C an ordered face-centered cubic phase forms. The coercivity of these films (∼200 Oe) does not change with annealing at 500°C. It decreases slightly upon further annealing at 600°C to 700°C. Electron microscope observations were used to correlate the magnetic properties with film structure.