Growth and Magnetic Properties of RF Sputtered Fe-Ga Thin Films

Abstract

We report the growth and characterization of Fe-Ga thin films. These films were RF sputtered onto Si, MgO and quartz substrates by controlling the parameters such as the deposition time, power and substrate temperature. The deposited films were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy and Vibration Sample Magnetometry measurements. The effect of substrates on the structure and magnetic properties were studied. XRD pattern of the deposited films showed the formation of DO 3 phase with L1 2 ordered structure at higher sputtering power. The room temperature deposited films demonstrated higher magnetization (0.08 emu/g) as compared to higher substrate temperature (300 o C) deposited films. The M r /M s ratio was found to be 0.037 for films deposited at room temperature and 0.009 for the substrate temperature 300 o C. L1 2 order was observed in films deposited on MgO and Quartz substrates. Magnetization was also found to be high (M s out of plane = 518 emu/cm 3 , M s in plane = 707 emu/cm 3 ) for films deposited on MgO substrate.

The Influence of AlN Intermediate Layer on the Structural and Chemical Properties of SiC Thin Films Produced by High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

“…Although sputtering processes have deposition rates that are independent of the substrate type, the film nucleation process and consequent crystallization and compaction are dependent. Nivedita et al confirmed some of these observations when depositing RF-sputtered Fe–Ga thin films on MgO, quartz, and Si substrates [42]. Indeed, the next topic shows that the crystallization of SiC is improved for films deposited on Si.…”

Anisotropy in thin film galfenol deposited on LiNbO3 as measured by MOKE

“…Rather than a magnetostriction brought about by the interface, an alternative explanation for the anisotropy could be a microstructure with elongated grains aligned along the LiNbO 3 y axis. Such a columnar growth has previously been ob-served in galfenol films up to 100nm thick [6,16,18], 275 with grain diameters up to 120nm. If galfenol sputtered on 128 • X-cut LiNbO 3 grows with similar sized grains then the magnetic domain size should correspond to this.…”

“…Commonly chosen Si (100) or SiO 2 substrates can control the surface texture of polycrystalline galfenol [15,16]. Both GaAs (001) [17] and MgO (100) [18] have also been successfully used as substrates, with the latter re- In this article we report on the anisotropy of thin films of galfenol deposited on a LiNbO 3 substrate as measured by the magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) -the rotation and ellipticity change of reflected polarised light. Additionally, magnetic domain images following AC demagnetisation along the hard axis reveal the presence of stripe domains of average width ∼30µm with magnetisation orientated along the easy axis.…”

The Influence of AlN Buffer Layer on the Structural and Chemical Properties of SiC Thin Films Produced by High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

“…Although sputtering processes have deposition rates that are independent of the substrate type, the film nucleation process and consequent crystallization and compaction is dependent. Nivedita et al confirmed some of these observations depositing RF sputtered Fe-Ga thin films on MgO, quartz and Si substrates [39]. Indeed, in the next topic will be evidenced that the crystallization of SiC is greater for the film deposited on Si.…”