Magnetic and microwave properties of ion-beam-sputtered amorphous FEXCO80-XB₁₅SI5 films

V. G. Harris, Northeastern University
S. A. Oliver
W. B. Nowak, Northeastern University
C. Vittoria, Northeastern University

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Originally published in Journal of Applied Physics 67, 5571 (1990). DOI:10.1063/1.345888 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.345888).

Abstract

Magnetically soft amorphous films of FeₓCO₈₀₋ₓB₁₅Si₅ (x = 0,6,23,40,70,80) were ion beam sputter deposited onto fused quartz for static and microwave magnetic characterization. Films ranged in thickness from 220 to 260 nm and were deposited at rates of 0.1-0.2 nm/s. Saturation magnetization, coercivity, and loop squareness values were extracted from hysteresis loops generated by a vibrating sample magnetometer. Ferromagnetic resonance measurements were taken using a 9.5-GHz cavity with the applied magnetic field both parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the film, yielding values for the g factor, anisotropy field, effective magnetization, and linewidth. Well resolved quadratic spin-wave resonance spectra allowed for the deduction of exchange stiffness constants. Hysteresis loops showed well-defined uniaxial in-plane anisotropies for Fe-rich films, with easy axis loop squareness decreasing with decreasing Fe content. Saturation magnetization and effective magnetization values were found to reach a maximum at x = 70 for those compositions investigated. These films were found to have soft magnetic properties comparable to the FeₓNi₈₀₋ₓB₁₅Si₅ alloy films previously investigated.