Preparation and post-annealing of nitride thin films deposited by reactive sputtering using Fe₇₀Co₃₀ alloy -Al composite target

Abstract

Nitride thin films with zinc blende / wurtzite type crystal structure were deposited by reactive sputtering of (Fe₇₀Co₃₀)_1-xAl_x composite target in nitrogen atmosphere. Ferromagnetic particles Fe₇₀Co₃₀ were precipitated and were decomposited by their thermal annealing at 500 degrees in the vacuum state. The electrical resistivity of external magnetic field of 0kOe is increased and the particle size is decreased with increasing Al volumes. As increasing Al volumes in the annealed film, the magnetoresistance ratio increased. The annealed film showed the largest magnetoresistance ratio of 0.06% at the composition of x=0.66.