Microstructure and ordering parameter studies in multilayer [FePt(x)/Os]n films

Abstract

The microstructure, ordering parameter, and magnetic properties of multilayer [FePt(x)/Os]n films on glass substrate by dc-magnetron sputtering (with x being thickness in nm; Os with a fixed thickness 5 nm; n being the number of layers) have been studied as a function of the annealing temperatures between 300 and 900 °C. The grain size of multilayer films can be controlled by annealing temperature and thickness of the FePt layer with Os space layer. The coercivity as a function of the annealing temperature for samples with n 1 and pure FePt behaves roughly saturated after annealing above 700 °C. However, for samples with n > 4 the value of Hc seems still increasing with increasing annealing temperature between 600 and 900 °C, and the ordering parameter decreases with increasing the number of Os layers. Our experimental results are reasonably well to describe the effect of strain-assisted transformation. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.