Selective resputtering-induced anisotropy in amorphous films

Abstract

Resputtering effect on the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in amorphous GdCo films has been investigated. A sputtering apparatus has been constructed which is able to change the energy and the accommodation rate of the resputtering Ar ions independently of each other. The energy of Ar ions bombarding the substrate electrode or the film has been measured by means of a Faraday cup and has been found to be smaller than the bias voltage applied to the substrate electrode. The deposition rate of the film has been found to decrease linearly with an increase in the accommodation rate of the resputtering Ar ions. The product of the uniaxial anisotropy constant and the deposition rate has been found to be proportional to the accommodation rate of Ar ions with constant energy. This result agrees with the selective resputtering-induced anisotropy model.