FeAlN Films Research Articles

Spin wave resonance in FeAlN films

Results are presented on the 33-GHz ferromagnetic resonance and spin wave resonance spectra of single and multilayer NiFe/FeAlN films deposited by RF diode sputtering. The following films were prepared: FeAlN/glass, NiFe/glass, NiFe/FeAlN/glass and NiFe/FeAlN/NiFe/glass. For all the FeAlN films a spectrum of volume spin waves is observed. The exchange constant A calculated from the spin wave resonance spectrum is between 1.6 and 1.8*10/sup -6/ erg cm/sup -1/. The effective anisotropy field 4 pi M/sub s/ and g-values are -17.7 kOe, 18.1 kG, 2.19 and -9.1 kOe, 9.4 kG, 2.14 for the FeAlN and the NiFe, respectively. In the bilayer and the trilayer films, an extra resonance is observed which lies at a field value in between the NiFe and FeAlN resonances for the in-plane applied field. This resonance is attributed to a surface spin wave mode. >

Improved high moment FeAlN/SiO/sub 2/ laminated materials for thin film recording heads

FeAlN films and FeAlN/SiO/sub 2/ multilayers have been studied for head applications. The magnetic properties of FeAlN show similar dependences on N/sub 2//Ar flow rate ratio as those of FeN, but Al has been found to significantly affect their coercivity and magnetostriction, and also to prevent grain growth during annealing. FeAlN/SiO/sub 2/ multilayers also show similar dependences on the sputtering parameters as FeN/SiO/sub 2/. However, they demonstrate better magnetic properties and superior thermal stability when annealed at 300 degrees C. Multilayers with a saturation magnetization of 20 KGauss, a coercivity of 0.3 Oe, a saturation magnetostriction constant less than 2*10/sup -7/ and a permeability of 4000 have been achieved. >