Magnetic anisotropy and high frequency permeability of multilayered nanocomposite FeAlO thin films

Abstract

A cool-down step deposition process (multistep deposition with cool-down interval) was used to grow nanocomposite FeAlO thin films of various thicknesses up to 440 nm by magnetron sputtering at a substrate temperature of 15°C. The effect of the number of cool-down steps on the soft magnetic properties and high frequency characteristics of the nanocomposite FeAlO films were investigated. The deposition process was proved very effective in improving the soft magnetic properties and high frequency characteristics of the films. The eight-layered samples, fabricated by eight cool-down step deposition process, of thicknesses of 220 and 440 nm had obvious in-plane uniaxial anisotropies while the single-layered films were nearly isotropic. The resulting real permeability value of the eight-layered films was larger than 300 for the 220 nm film and between 200 and 300 for the 440 nm film. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.