Temperature Dependence of the Texture of Sm-Co Thin Films

Abstract

Hard magnetic Sm-Co thin films were prepared on Cr buffered MgO(001) single crystals by pulsed laser deposition. The texture of the films as well as the magnetic properties were measured for films deposited at different temperatures. Sm-Co is a system with high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, where the c-axis is the axis of easy magnetization. Thin films of this material, with high coercivity and remanence, are of increasing interest for application in magnetic miniature devices. To explore the potential of this permanent magnetic material, a strong texture with a wellaligned c-axis is required. Analysis of several pole figures shows that mainly two types of orientations develop which grow epitaxially on Cr. For one orientation, the c-axis lies n the sample surface parallel to Cr(110). The c-axis of the second orientiation is tilted by 60° out of the surface plane.