Selectively thermalized sputtering for the deposition of magnetic films with special anisotropies

Abstract

Special sputtering methods have been developed which allow films of rare-earth transition-metal permanent magnet systems that exhibit special magnetic anisotropies to be synthesized. Films have been synthesized that exhibit an easy direction of magnetization either out of the film plane, in the film plane, or in a particular direction within the plane of the films. Magnetic films have been applied during the sputter deposition to control the desired magnetic properties. Systems such as Nd2Fe14B have been synthesized so as to exhibit an easy axis either in or out of the film plane by varying the sputtering parameters. Films based on Sm2Co17 have been crystallized directly onto heated substrates that exhibit as sputtered in the film plane static energy products of 26 MG Oe. Films of SmCo5 have been made that exhibit coercivities >22 kOe and in-the-film-plane anisotropy constants of >10+7 erg/cm3. Recently, similar films have been made in the Sm–Ti–Fe system.