Selective 2p-3d electron orbits exchange coupling in amorphous rare earth-transition metal-boron alloys

Abstract

One of the major bottlenecks in amorphous light rare earth-transition metal (LRE-TM) alloy films for magneto-optic (MO) recording media in blue wavelengths (/spl sim/400 nm) is the large demagnetization energy (E/sub D/), which originates from shape anisotropy of the samples and decreases the effective magnetic anisotropy energy K/sub Ueff/ perpendicular to the film planes. The reduction of this demagnetization energy and enhancement of polar Kerr rotation angles (/spl theta//sub K/) are attempted by the addition of boron (B) into the amorphous LRE-TM films, such as amorphous (NdFe)/sub 100-X/B/sub X/ films. The additive B plays the role of reducing an Fe sub-magnetic moment by selective 2p-3d electron orbits exchange coupling (SEC) between B and Fe. The SEC results in the reduction of E/sub D/, enhancement of K/sub Ueff/ and increase of /spl theta//sub K/ in the amorphous (NdFe)/sub 100-X/B/sub X/ alloy films.