Excellent soft magnetic properties realized in FeCoN thin films

FeCoN soft magnetic thin films are prepared by using the reactive direct-current magnetron sputtering technique. It is found that the addition of N₂ can reduce the coercivity of the FeCoN film, and excellent soft magnetic properties can be obtained when the ratio of N₂ flow to total gas flow is 10%. The influences of texture, grain size, and stress on the magnetic properties and the high-frequency behaviors of the films are also discussed.     

Ultrawide frequency linewidth of the permeability spectra of FeCoN thin film sputtered on the flexible substrate

Analysis shows that it is possible to make use of dispersed magnetic ripple fields to obtain a wide frequency linewidth of permeability spectra of soft magnetic thin films. As-sputtered FeCoN thin film sputtered on flexible Kapton substrate is studied as an example. It has ultrawide frequency linewidths of its resonance peaks in the permeability spectra, compared to its counterpart deposited on Si substrate. The frequency linewidth of FeCoN on Kapton substrate decreases with external magnetic field, showing a different field dependence from that of FeCoN on Si substrate. The ultrawide frequency linewidth and its decrease with external magnetic field are ascribed to the dispersed magnetic ripple fields caused by the flexible substrate. This work shows that the flexible substrate is effective in obtaining a wide frequency linewidth of the permeability spectra of soft magnetic thin films.     

Study of nanocrystalline Fe－Al－N soft magnetic thin films

Fe－Al－N films were fabricated by reactive sputtering using a radio-frequency magnetron sputtering system. The effects of Al and N content and annealing temperature on microstructure and magnetic properties were investigated. The Fe－Al－N films, which have good soft magnetic properties, consist of nanocrystalline α-Fe grains and a small amount of other phases in the boundaries of α-Fe grains. The average α-Fe grain size is about 10－15nm. A slight amount of Fe－N and Al－N compounds precipitate in the boundaries of α-Fe grains and suppress their growth. Annealing improves the soft magnetic properties slightly by releasing the residual stress and reducing defects.     

Nitrogen doping-mediated room-temperature ferromagnetism in insulating Co-doped SnO2 films

Co-doped SnO₂ films codoped with nitrogen (N) have been prepared by magnetron sputtering to investigate the effect of p-type defects on magnetic properties. The incorporation of N modifies the preferential growth orientation of the films. Multiple characterization techniques reveal that the incorporated Co²⁺ and N³⁻ ions substitute for Sn⁴⁺ and O²⁻ sites in SnO₂ lattice, respectively. As N concentration increases, the band gap of the films decreases because of the formation of Sn-N bond. Room-temperature ferromagnetism is observed in (Co, N)-codoped SnO₂ films, and the saturated magnetic moment is sensitive to the incorporated N concentration. The variations in the magnetic properties as a function of N concentration are discussed on the basis of bound magnetic polaron model.     

Magnetic properties of co-sputtered Tb-Co2FeAl films with perpendicular anisotropy

We present a systematic study on magnetic properties of co-sputtered Tb-Co₂FeAl (TCFA) films. The TCFA films with suitable Tb content have perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). The PMA deteriorates with both decreasing film thickness and high temperature annealing. Under a certain thickness, the perpendicular coercivity of the TCFA films with PMA can be reduced down to 60 Oe, which is comparable with normal soft ferromagnets. After annealing at 100 °C, a large remanence squareness of 0.95 is observed in the TCFA film with 33% Tb and a thickness of 30 nm.     

各向同性纳米结构Fe-Pt薄膜的结构和磁性

采用直流溅射和热处理技术制备了两个各向同性的纳米结构Fe-Pt永磁合金薄膜系列,并研究了它们的结构和磁性.研究表明,在富Fe双相纳米结构Fe-Pt永磁合金薄膜中,仅由硬磁的FePt相与软磁的Fe₃Pt相组成;在同一系列中,随Fe层厚度的增加,饱和磁极化强度和剩磁明显增大.由Kelly-Henkel图研究指出,在上述Fe-Pt纳米结构永磁合金薄膜中,磁相互作用主要由近邻纳米晶粒间的铁磁交换相互作用控制. 关键词： 磁性薄膜 纳米结构 矫顽力     

The growth of soft magnetic FeNiN thin films under different experimental procedures

FeNiN thin films with good soft magnetic properties were synthesized on Si (1 0 0) substrates at 473 K by RF magnetron sputtering. The dependence of phase structure and magnetic properties on nitrogen partial pressure, nickel concentrations, film thickness and substrate temperature were systematically investigated. The phase evolution from α-(Fe,Ni)N to ξ-(Fe,Ni)₂N with increase of nitrogen partial pressure was seen. The addition of Ni caused FeNiN films to turn from BCC structure to FCC structure. Clear reproducible striped domains appeared at the film surfaces when X_Ni=19.6%, which is explained by the high enough perpendicular anisotropy and the small stress in the film. All films show smooth surfaces and good soft magnetic properties compared to corresponding FeN compounds. The magnetic properties depended dramatically on the phase structure. Optimum soft magnetic properties with H_C of <1 Oe are obtained between 5.0%?X_Ni?10.0%.     

Studies on high-moment soft magnetic FeCo/Co thin films

The dependences of soft magnetic properties and microstructures of the sputtered FeCo (=FeFeCo薄膜 溅射条件 软磁性 高饱和磁化强度FeCo film, sputtering conditions, high saturation magnetization, soft magnetic properties2005-10-263/7/2006 12:00:00 AMThe dependences of soft magnetic properties and microstructures of the sputtered FeCo （=Fe65Co35） films on Co underlayer thickness tCo, FeCo thickness tFeCo, substrate temperature Ts and taxget-substrate spacing dT-s are studied. FeCo single layer generally shows a high coercivity with no obvious magnetic anisotropy. Excellent soft magnetic properties with saturation magnetization μ0Ms of 2.35 T and hard axis coercivity Hch of 0.25 kA/m in FeCo films can be achieved by introducing a Co underlayer. It is shown that sandwiching a Co underlayer causes a change in orientation and reduction in grain size from 70 nm to about 10 nm in the FeCo layer. The magnetic softness can be explained by the Hoffmann＇s ripple theory due to the effect of grain size. The magnetic anisotropy can be controlled by changing dT-S, and a maximum of 14.3 kA/m for anisotropic field Hk is obtained with dT-S=18.0 cm.     

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of hard magnetic Sm2Fe17Nδ thin films with Co substitution

The crystal structure and magnetic properties of the hard magnetic Sm₂(Fe_1−xCo_x)₁₇N_δ thin films prepared by dc magnetron sputtering and subsequent nitrogenation process were investigated. It is found that the N content and crystal structure determine the non-monotonic dependence of the coercivity H_C on nitriding temperature for the films with x=0. With nitriding temperature exceeding 300 °C, N atoms can enter the Sm₂Fe₁₇ phase and the N content increases with increasing nitriding temperature, which leads to an increased coercivity. However, the maximum value of the H_C is observed at 400 °C. The α-Fe soft phase appears with nitriding temperature further increasing to 500 °C, which is responsible for the decreased H_C. When x is between 0 and 0.36, the films exhibit single Th₂Zn₁₇-type structure. Co atoms are found to go into the lattice of the 2:17 phase, generating an enhanced exchange coupling interaction between the nano-grains, which is responsible for the improved hard magnetic properties of the films with Co substitution at a certain range. Especially, the optimal value of the coercivity H_C and remanence ratio M_R/M_S reaches 4.0 kOe and 0.70 for the films with x=0.17 and 0.36, respectively.     

Al-O,C元素添加对FeCo合金薄膜磁性和频率特性的影响

用磁控射频溅射法制备了FeCoAlOC薄膜,研究了Al-O和C元素的添加对FeCo合金薄膜的软磁性和高频特性的影响.随着Al,O,C元素添加量的增加,薄膜微结构发生了由多晶到纳米晶再到非晶状态的转化,软磁性得到提高;薄膜电阻率则由最初的87 μΩ·cm增至900 μΩ·cm,高频特性得到改善: 截止频率最高可达2.9 GHz,低频实部磁导率最高可到达400. 关键词： 纳米晶 非晶 软磁薄膜     

基片对交替溅射制备的MnZn铁氧体薄膜结构和磁性的影响

使用成分分别为MnFe₂O₄和ZnFe₂O₄的靶,使用射频溅射交替沉积制备了成分不同的Mn_1-xZn_xFe₂O₄薄膜,沉积薄膜所用基片分别为单晶硅Si（100）,氧化的单晶硅SiO₂/Si（100）, ZnFe₂O₄为衬底的单晶硅ZnFe< 关键词： MnZn铁氧体 纳米晶 软磁性 磁性薄膜     

Microwave magnetic properties of soft magnetic thin films

We review our works that focus on the microwave magnetic properties of metallic,ferrite and granular thin films.Soft magnetic material with large permeability and low energy loss in the GHz range is a challenge for the inforcom technologies.GHz magnetic properties of the soft magnetic thin films with in-plane anisotropy were investigated.It is found that several hundreds of permeability at the GHz frequency was achieved for Co100-xZrx and Co90Nb10 metallic thin films because of their high saturation magneti...     

Vibrating reed magnetometer studies of superconducting and magnetic materials

ABSTRACT

Applications of sensitive vibrating reed magnetometry to a variety of superconducting and magnetic materials are reviewed. The advantages of conducting vibrating reed studies of small single crystals, ceramics, thin films and multilayers with high anisotropy, composition gradients, strain and nonlinear magnetic response are documented. The equilibrium and dynamic properties of magnetic flux in superconductors, and coexistence of magnetic and superconducting states are emphasised. Vibrating reed experiments on Nb, NbSe₂, (Ba_0.6K_0.4)BiO₃, HoNi₂B₂C, {Nb(x)/Ni(y)}_Z multilayer films, and κ-(ET)₂Cu{N(CN)₂}Br have revealed subtle, exotic superconducting behaviours that remain unexplained. Future prospects for vibrating reed measurements of ferromagnetic thin films with patterned nanostructures are considered.     

Effect of nanoparticle size on magnetic damping parameter in Co92Zr8 soft magnetic films

Co₉₂Zr₈(50 nm)/Ag(x) soft magnetic films have been prepared on Si (111) substrates by oblique sputtering at 45°. Nanoparticle size of Co₉₂Zr₈ soft magnetic films can be tuned by thickening Ag buffer layer from 9 nm to 96 nm. The static and dynamic magnetic properties show great dependence on Ag buffer layer thickness. The coercivity and effective damping parameter of Co₉₂Zr₈ films increase with thickening Ag buffer layer. The intrinsic and extrinsic parts of damping were extracted from the effective damping parameter. For x=96 nm film, the extrinsic damping parameter is 0.028, which is significantly larger than 0.004 for x=9 nm film. The origin of the enhancement of extrinsic damping can be explained by increased inhomogeneity of anisotropy. Therefore, it is an effective method to tailor magnetic damping parameter of thin magnetic films, which is desirable for high frequency application.     

Miniature plasma focus as a novel device for synthesis of soft magnetic FeCo thin films

The Letter reports the first ever application of low energy miniature plasma focus device as a deposition facility for nanostructured thin films. We demonstrate successful utilization of a 120 J fast miniature plasma focus device as a novel facility for the deposition of magnetically soft FeCo thin films. Different gas types and the substrate materials were used to investigate their effects on magnetic properties of the films. The FeCo films deposited on Si₍₁₀₀₎ with hydrogen as the filling gas were found to have an average grain size of 10.8±1.2 nm with narrow size distribution and soft magnetic properties with coercivity of about 6.3 Oe. The experimental coercivity value matched reasonably well with the theoretical calculation done using ripple theory.     

Fabrication,properties, and applications of flexible magnetic films

Flexible magnetic devices, i.e., magnetic devices fabricated on flexible substrates, are very attractive in applications such as detection of magnetic field in an arbitrary surface, non-contact actuators, and microwave devices, due to their stretchable, biocompatible, light-weight, portable, and low cost properties. Flexible magnetic films are essential for the realization of various functionalities of flexible magnetic devices. To give a comprehensive understanding for flexible magnetic films and related devices, recent advances in the study of flexible magnetic films are reviewed, including fabrication methods, magnetic and transport properties of flexible magnetic films, and their applications in magnetic sensors, actuators, and microwave devices. Our aim is to foster a comprehensive understanding of these films and devices. Three typical methods have been introduced to prepare the flexible magnetic films, by deposition of magnetic films on flexible substrates, by a transfer and bonding approach or by including and then removing sacrificial layers. Stretching or bending the magnetic films is a good way to apply mechanical strain to them, so that magnetic anisotropy, exchange bias, coercivity, and magnetoresistance can be effectively manipulated. Finally, a series of examples is shown to demonstrate the great potential of flexible magnetic films for future applications.     

Comparison of ferromagnetism in n- and p-type magnetic semiconductor thin films of ZnCoO

Both n- and p-type diluted magnetic semiconductor ZnCoO are made by magnetron co-sputtering with, respectively, dopants of Al and dual dopants of Al and N. The two sputtering targets are compound ZnCoO with 5% weight of Co and pure metal Al. Sputtering gases for n- and p-type films are pure Ar and N₂, respectively. These films are magnetic at room temperature and possess free electron- and hole-concentration of 5.34×10²⁰ and 5.27×10¹³ cm⁻³. Only the n-type film exhibits anomalous Hall-effect signals. Magnetic properties of these two types of films are compared and discussed based on measurements of microstructure and magneto-transport properties.     

Comparative studies on Zn0.95Co0.05O thin films on C- and R-sapphire substrates

Zn0.95Co0.05 O precipitate-free single crystal thin films were synthesized by a dual beam pulsed laser deposition method.The films form a wurtzite structure whose hexagonal axis is perpendicular or parallel to the plane of the surface depending on the C-plane (0001) or R-plane (11 ˉ 20) sapphire substrate.Based on the results of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction,C-plane films show larger lattice mismatch.The films exhibit magnetic and semiconductor properties at room temperature.The coercivity of the film is about 8000 A/m at room temperature.They are soft magnetic materials with small remanent squareness S for both crystal orientations.There is no evidence to show that the anisotropy is fixed to the hexagonal axis (C-axis) for the wurtzite structure.     

具有条纹磁畴结构的NiFe薄膜的制备与磁各向异性研究

具有条纹磁畴结构的磁性薄膜表现出面内转动磁各向异性,对于解决高频电子器件的方向性问题起着至关重要的作用.本文采用射频磁控溅射的方法,研究了NiFe薄膜的厚度、溅射功率密度、溅射气压等制备工艺参数对条纹磁畴结构、面内静态磁各向异性、面内转动磁各向异性、垂直磁各向异性的影响规律.研究发现,在功率密度15.6 W/cm~2与溅射气压2 mTorr(1 Torr=1.33322×102Pa)下生长的NiFe薄膜,表现出条纹磁畴的临界厚度在250 nm到300 nm之间.厚度为300 nm的薄膜比250 nm薄膜的垂直磁各向异性场增大近一倍,从而磁矩偏离膜面形成条纹磁畴结构,并表现出面内转动磁各向异性.高溅射功率密度可以降低薄膜出现条纹磁畴的临界厚度.在相同功率密度15.6 W/cm~2下生长300 nm的NiFe薄膜,随着溅射气压由2 mTorr增大到9 mTorr,NiFe薄膜的垂直磁各向异性场逐渐由1247.8 Oe(1 Oe=79.5775 A/m)增大到3248.0 Oe,面内转动磁各向异性场由72.5 Oe增大到141.9 Oe,条纹磁畴周期从0.53μm单调减小到0.24μm.NiFe薄膜的断面结构表明柱状晶的形成是表现出条纹磁畴结构的本质原因,高功率密度下低溅射气压有利于柱状晶结构的形成,表现出规整的条纹磁畴结构,高溅射气压会导致柱状晶纤细化,面内转动磁各向异性与面外垂直磁各向异性增强,条纹磁畴结构变得混乱.     

Soft magnetic moldable composites: Properties and applications

A new type of electromagnetic soft magnetic material (SMM) is introduced, based on spherical iron powder particles and a suitable polymer binder. A key feature of this material is that it can be cast or molded into almost any 3D shape, hence the denotation soft magnetic moldable composite (SM²C). The SM²C is compared with a set of reference materials, such as ferrites, laminated steels, and soft magnetic composites, in terms of primary properties such as permeability and loss, and other properties, such as thermal conductivity and manufacturability. The SM²C has the obvious disadvantage of relatively low permeability, but offers benefits such as relatively low losses and high potential for close integration into electromagnetic circuits. Some recent SM²C applications are illustrated, and design and manufacturing aspects are discussed.