Highly Textured FeCo Thin Films Deposited by Low Temperature Pulsed Laser Deposition

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces 2015-10, Vol.7 (40), p.22341-22347
• Main Authors: Varvaro, Gaspare, Peddis, Davide, Barucca, Gianni, Mengucci, Paolo, Rodionova, Valeria, Chichay, Ksenia, Testa, Alberto Maria, Agostinelli, Elisabetta, Laureti, Sara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b06030

The effect of the deposition temperature (T dep) on the crystallographic orientation of pulsed laser-deposited FeCo/MgO(100) thin film was determined by means of X-ray reflectivity and high resolution trasmission electron microscopy analysis and was correlated with the magnetic anisotropy properties measured by angle dependent hysteresis loops. Highly textured films with a bcc structure and very smooth surface were obtained even at room temperature, the film being [100] and [110] oriented, at T dep = 25 °C and 150 °C, respectively. The cubic symmetry is reflected in the angular dependence of remanent magnetization, showing a 4-fold character, whose in-plane distribution is consistent with the different crystallographic orientations of the films. The high structural quality, even at room temperature, is reflected in a high value of the saturation magnetization and low coercivity, matching the requirements for technological applications.