SmCo5 with perpendicular anisotropy induced by a (211) textured Ni4 W underlayer

Abstract

In this work, we have successfully induced SmCo 5-(0001) texture using the Ni4W-(211) underlayer. A tungsten (W) seed layer of 4 nm resulted in a nanocrystalline (211)-textured Ni4W underlayer deposited at room temperature. Highly (0001)-textured SmCo5 was achieved after the sputtering deposition in the temperature range of 500-540°C. The crystallinity of the SmCo5 layer was reduced at higher deposition temperature (≥550°C), probably due to W diffusion. The nano-grained SmCo5 thin film deposited at 500°C shows an out-of-plane coercivty of 12.7 kOe with a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The thickness of Ni4 W underlayer can be reduced to 13 nm without a significant change in the large perpendicular magnetic coercivity of the SmCo 5 thin film. © 2006 IEEE.