Magnetic Properties of Co-Cr Films Prepared by Sputtering Using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Microwave Plasma

Abstract

Co-Cr single-layer perpendicular anisotropy films were prepared on polyimide films by sputtering using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma. The dependence of the crystallographic and magnetic properties of the Co-Cr films on the Ar gas pressure, P_Ar, and the target-to-substrate distance, D_T-S, was investigated. An 0.09,μm thick Co-Cr film with excellent c-axis orientation—namely, Δθ₅₀ of 3.35°—, a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy field of 4.5 kOe, and a high perpendicular coercivity H_c⊥ of 1530 Oe was achieved at a relatively high P_Ar of 8×10^-2 Pa and a large D_T-S of 230 mm. It may be surmised that ion bombardment with moderate energy in the P_Ar and D_T-S conditions described above is suitable for the deposition of Co-Cr perpendicular anisotropy films.