Selective resputtering-induced anisotropy in amorphous films

Abstract

A model will be presented to explain the bias voltage dependence of magnetic anisotropy in sputtered amorphous films of gadolinium cobalt alloys. It has been found that the magnetic anisotropy increases with bias voltage up to a critical bias voltage (∠150 V depending on the sputter gas) then decreases precipitously at higher voltages. The model used to explain this behavior is based on selective resputtering of atoms in different surface sites causing an anisotropic distribution of Gd and Co atoms with respect to the growth direction. For example, a Gd adatom in contact with three surface atom neighbors can have 0, 1, 2, or 3 cobalt neighbors. The sputtering threshold for each type of Gd adatom will be different so those with a low threshold will be selectively removed giving a structural anisotropy. This anisotropic atomic distributions can cause different kinds of anisotropy with respect to the growth direction depending on the type of amorphous film. For example, both easy-axis (GdCo) and hard-axis (GdFe) magnetic anisotropies have been observed. It may be possible to extend this model to other types of anisotropy in amorphous films.