Interfacial layer formation during high-temperature deposition of Sm-Co magnetic thin films on Si (100) substrates

Saravanan, P and Boominathasellarajan, S and Sobel, Bartłomiej and Wacławek, Stanisław and Vinod, V T P and Talapatra, A and Mohanty, Jyoti Ranjan and Černík, Miroslav (2019) Interfacial layer formation during high-temperature deposition of Sm-Co magnetic thin films on Si (100) substrates. Intermetallics, 106. pp. 36-47. ISSN 0966-9795

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Abstract

The interfacial layer that has formed during the deposition of ∼240-nm thick Sm-Co films on the bare Si (100) substrate was investigated at different deposition temperatures, Td,Sm-Co: 400, 450 and 500 °C with respect to structural and magnetic properties of Sm-Co films. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the crystallization of both Sm2Co17(R) and SmCo5(H) magnetic phases. Rutherford back scattering studies demonstrated that the surface-diffusion reactions between the Sm-Co layer and Si-surface not only accompanied by the quasi-layered growth of CoSi2-phase; but also led to the formation of SmCoSi2-phase. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed uneven boundary with deeply grown CoSi2-layer and Moiré fringes at limited regions of Co/Si interface. Magnetic measurements showed a square hysteresis loop with maximum values of coercivity (11.6 kOe) and remanence ratio (0.99) for the films grown at 500 °C. Magnetic force microscopy images depicted patch-like domains with increasing phase contrast against Td,Sm-Co. In addition, the changes that has occurred in the magnetization reversal processes accompanied by coercivity enhancement due to higher Td,Sm-Co is discussed in the context of domain morphology and first-order reversal curves.

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