In-plane magnetic anisotropy and coercive field dependence upon thickness of CoFeB

The structural and magnetic properties of as-grown 5–50 nm thin ion-beam sputter deposited transition metal–metalloid Co₂₀Fe₆₀B₂₀ (CFB) films are reported in this communication. A broad peak observed at 2θ∼45° in the glancing angle X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the formation of very fine nano-sized grains embedded in majority amorphous CFB matrix. Although no magnetic field is applied during deposition, the longitudinal magneto-optic Kerr effect measurements performed at 300 K in these as-grown films clearly established the presence of in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (K_u). It is argued that this observed anisotropy is strain-induced. This is supported by the observed dependence of direction of K_u on the angle between applied magnetic field and crystallographic orientation of the underlying Si(100) substrate, and increase in the coercivity with the increase of the film thickness.