Magnetic and microwave properties of ion-beam-sputtered amorphous FeₓCo₈₀₋ₓB₁₅Si₅ films

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

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The following article appeared in Harris, V.G., Oliver, S.A., Nowak, W.B., & Vittoria, C. (1990). Magnetic and microwave properties of ion-beam-sputtered amorphous FeₓCo₈₀₋ₓB₁₅Si₅ films. Journal of Applied Physics, 67(9), 5571-5573.

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 FeₓCo₈₀₋ₓB₁₅Si₅ alloy films previously investigated.