The effect of sputter-deposition conditions on the coercive force in amorphous rare-earth - transition-metal thin films

The origins of the coercive force in amorphous rare earth - transition metal films have been investigated, the results being discussed in terms of how the growth conditions of the sputter-deposited films determine the pinning features which cause the coercive force. The authors have studied the variation of coercive force with film thickness and developed a model which enables a local pinning force per unit area to be deduced. This suggests that it should be possible to increase the coercive force by breaking up the microstructure with a multi-layered structure. An increase in coercive force obtained by making such structures with tungsten is described. They also report on the reduction in coercive force obtained when the films are deposited in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field