Dependence of the Magnetic Properties of TbFeCo Films on the Species of Sputtering Gases Used

Abstract

This paper investingates what the magnetic characteristics of TbFeCo films would become if Ar and Kr were used as sputtering gases. The sample structure was glass / underlayer SiN_x(u) / TbFeCo / protective layer SiN_x(p), and the top three layers were deposited by magnetron sputtering. When Kr gas was used, the coercive force H_C and effective perpendicular anisotropy K_eff increased. The increase was not dependent on the difference in Curie temperature. The type of sputtering gas used was changed for deposition of the SiN_x(u) and TbFeCo layers. Consequently, H_C increased when TbFeCo was deposited by using Kr gas. Changing the kind of sputtering gas used seldom affected SiN_x(u).