Structure and magnetic properties of Fe films with pyramid-like nanostructures deposited by oblique target direct current magnetron sputtering

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2013-10, Vol.24 (10), p.4068-4074
• Main Authors: Mo, Kang Xin, Chen, Di Hu, He, Zhen Hui, Chen, Min
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anisotropy; Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Iron; Magnetic properties; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Materials; Materials Science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicon substrates; Superconducting devices; Surface magnetism; Thin films
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-013-1362-4

Fe thin films were deposited by oblique target direct current magnetron sputtering on Si (100) and (111) substrates. The structure, surface morphology and magnetic properties of the thin films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer, respectively. The results reveal that the structure of the as-deposited Fe thin films is body-centered cubic with the preferential [110] crystalline orientation. A pyramid-like nanostructure with sharp tip was formed on the surfaces of Fe thin films under appropriate sputtering power. Formation of the pyramid-like nanostructure is mainly owed to the enhancement of atomic mobility and the bombardment effect with increasing of sputtering power. Meanwhile, the crystalline orientation of Si substrate and the intrinsic stress in the films are expected to have little contribution to the formation of the pyramid-like nanostructure. The magnetic anisotropy was found in the as-deposited Fe thin films, and varies with the thickness of the Fe thin films. As the film thickness increases from 604 to 1,786 nm, the magnetic anisotropy field and the uniaxial anisotropy constant increase from 3.8 to 5.6 kOe, and from 0.4 × 10 6 to 1.1 × 10 6  erg/cm 3 , respectively, which indicates that besides magnetocrystalline anisotropy, stress induced anisotropy and shape anisotropy also exist in the as-deposited Fe thin films.