• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.250-257
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• 1997

The microstructure and magnetic properties of Fe-Nb-B-N thin film alloys, which produced by rf magnetron sputtering method in $Ar+N_2$ mixed gas atmosphere, were investigated. The $Fe_{70}Nb_{14}B_{11}N_5$ films, annealed at 59$0^{\circ}C$, exhibit soft magnetic properties: $4{\pi}M_s=16.5kG$ , $H_c=0.13Oe$ and ${\mu}_{eff}$ (1~10 MHz)=5, 000. The frequency stability of the Fe-Nb-B-N films has also been found to be good up to 10 MHz. The Fe-Nb-B-N thin film alloys annealed at 59$0^{\circ}C$ consist of three phase; fine crystalline $\alpha$-Fe phase with grain size of about 5~10 nm, Nb-B rich amorphous phase and Nb-nitride precipitates with the size of less than 3 nm. Annealed Fe-Nb-B films have two phases; $\alpha$-Fe grains with the size of about 10 nm and Nb-B rich amorphous phase. The addition of N decreased $\alpha$-Fe grain size due to the precipitation of NbN. The good magnetic properties of the Fe-Nb-B-N film alloys are due to fine $\alpha$-Fe grains resulting from the precipitation of NbN.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.236-239
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• 2004

We studied the specular spin valve (SSV) having the spin filter layer (SFL) in contact with the ultrathin free layer composed of Ta3/NiFe2/IrMn7/CoFel/(NOLl)/CoFe2/Cu1.8/CoFe( $t_{F}$)/Cu( $t_{SF}$ )/(NOL2)/Ta3.5 (in nm) by the magnetron sputtering system. For this antiferromagnetic I $r_{22}$M $n_{78}$-pinned spin filter specular spin valve (SFSSV) films, an optimal magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of 11.9% was obtained when both the free layer thickness ( $t_{F}$) and the SFL thickness ( $t_{SF}$ ) were 1.5 nm, and the MR ratio higher than 11% was maintained even when the $t_{F}$ was reduced to 1.0 nm. It was due to increase of specular electron by the nano-oxide layer (NOL) and of current shunting through the SFL. Moreover, the interlayer coupling field ( $H_{int}$) between free layer and pinned layer could be explained by considering the RKKY and magnetostatic coupling. The coercivity of the free layer ( $H_{cf}$ ) was significantly reduced as compared to the traditional spin valve (TSV), and was remained as low as 4 Oe when the $t_{F}$ varied from 1 nm to 4 urn. It was found that the SFL made it possible to reduce the free layer thickness and enhance the MR ratio without degrading the soft magnetic property of the free layer.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 1999

$Buffer/[NiFe/Cu/CoFe(Co)/Cu]_N$ spin valve multilayers prepared by dc magnetron sputtering on a corning glass substrate using NiFe and CoFe(Co) posses different coercivities. Dependence of magnetoresistance on the type and thickness of buffer layer, thickness of Cu, NiFe, stacking number of multilayer, substrate temperature and annealing temperature in the form $[NiFe/Cu/CoFe(Co)/Cu]_N$ spin-valve multilayers were investigated. To evaluate effect of magnetoresistance for this samples, X-ray diffraction analysis, vibrating sample magnetometer analysis, and magnetoresistance measurement (4-probe method) were performed the maximum magnetoresistance ratio and coercivity were 7.5 % and 140 Oe, respectively for $Cr-50{\AA}/[NiFe-20{\AA}/Cu-{\AA}/Co-20{\AA}/Cu-50{\AA}]_10$ at substrate temperature of 9$0^{\circ}C$. Magnetoresistance slope maintained 0.25%/Oe until 15$0^{\circ}C$ of annealing temperature, and then decreased to 0.03%/Oe at 20$0^{\circ}C$. It was confirmed that the main factor of thermal stability was deteriorating of soft magnetic properties in the NiFe layer.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.350-356
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• 1998

$Y_{3-x}La_xFe_5O_{12}$ (x=0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0) powders and thin films were fabricated by a sol-gel method and their magnetic properties and crystal structure were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and Mossbauer spectroscopy. XRD and Mossbauer spectroscopy measurements show that garnet powders annealed at 900 $^{\circ}C$ for 8 hours were single-phased and that thin films fired at 800 $^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours were crystallized without any preferred direction. X-ray diffraction patterns of $Y_{3-x}La_xFe_5O_{12}$ powders annealed at 1000 $^{\circ}C$ had only peaks of the garnet structure in case of x$\leq$0.75 but those of $Y_2LaFe_5O_{12}$ powders consisted of peaks from garnets and $LaFeO_3$. Mossbauer sepectra of garnet powders grown by the sol-gel method had a similar shape of those of powders grown by a conventional ceramic method. Grain sizes of garnet powders were 200~300 nm and the averaged surface roughness was 3.17 nm. Results of VSM measurements show the powders and thin films had soft magnetic properties and that the garnet powders had the largest saturation magnetization, 30 emu/g, and the lowest coercivity, 52 Oe.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2000.09a
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• pp.492-499
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• 2000

Co-Ni-Fe-N thin films were fabricated by a N$\sub$2/ reactive rf magnetron sputtering method. The nitrogen partial pressure (P$\sub$N2/) was varied in the range of 0∼10%. As P$\sub$N2/ increases in this range, the saturation magnetization (B$\sub$s/) linearly decreases from 19.8 kG to 14 kG and the electrical resistivity ($\rho$) increased from 27 to 155 ${\mu}$$\Omega$cm. The coercivity (H$\sub$c/) exhibits the minimum value at 4% of P$\sub$N2/. The magnetic anisotropy (H$\sub$k/) are in the range of 20∼50 Oe. High frequency characteristics of (Co$\sub$22.2/Ni$\sub$27.6/Fe$\sub$50.2/)$\sub$100-x/N$\sub$x/ films are excellent in the range of 3∼5% of P$\sub$N2/. Especially the effective permeability of the film fabricated at 4% of P$\sub$N2/ is 800, which is maintained up to 600 MHz. This film also shows Bs of 17.5 kG, H$\sub$c/ of 1.4 Oe, resistivity of 98 $\Omega$cm and H$\sub$k/ of about 25 Oe. Also, the corrosion resistance of (Co$\sub$22.2/Ni$\sub$27.6/Fe$\sub$50.2/)$\sub$100-x/N$\sub$x/ were improved with the increase in N concentration.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.67-73
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• 2015

This is a basic research for improving soft magnetic property of Fe based nano crystalline alloy powder core. The main study is done around characteristics of permeability, core loss, and DC bias depending on amount of insulation coating agent and particle size. First, $Fe_{73.5}Si_{13.5}B_9Nb_3Cu_1$ amorphous alloy ribbon was fabricated by using the planar flow casting (PFC) device. Then, heat treatment and ball milling were done to obtain alloy powder. The amount of polyether imide (PEI) added to it was varied by 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5 wt% to have compression molding into $16ton/cm^2$. After going through crystalline heat treatment, the made toroidal nano crystalline powder core ($OD12.7mm^*ID7.62mm^*H4.75mm$) had smaller permeability as amount of insulation coating agent decreases. However, it was found out that core loss and DC bias characteristics have been improved. The reason for this results were expected to be because green density of power core decreases as amorphous alloy powder particles become smaller as amount of alloy powder insulation coating agent increases, it was determined that 1 wt% of insulation coating agent is appropriate. Also, for powder core made based on alloy powder size with amount of insulation coating agent fixed at 1 wt%, effective permeability and core loss were outstanding as particle size became bigger. However, characteristics of DC bias became worse as applied DC field increases. This is expected to be due to insulation effect, residual pores, or molding density of powder core resulting from thickness of coating on surface of alloy powder.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.282-287
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• 2009

$Ni_xFe_{100-x}$ films with a thickness of about 100nm were deposited on Si(100) substrates at room temperature by a DC magnetron co-sputtering using Fe and Ni targets. Compositional, structural, electrical and magnetic properties of the films were investigated. $Ni_{67}Fe_{33}$, $Ni_{55}Fe_{45}$, $Ni_{50}Fe_{50}$, $Ni_{45}Fe_{55}$, $Ni_{40}Fe_{60}$ films are obtained by increasing the sputtering power of the Fe target. The films of x < 55 have BCC structure and show the phase transformation after annealing at the range of $300{\sim}450^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. On the other hand, the films of x < 50 have the mixed crystalline phases of BCC and FCC after the annealing treatment. The saturation magnetization was decreased initially by the phase transformation effect but then increased again after annealing at $450^{\circ}C$ due to the grain growth and crystallization of BCC phases.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.180-185
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• 2009

Fe$_3$O$_4$ particles, prepared by a sol-gel method, were examined for their structural characteristic, particle shapes and sizes, and their magnetic properties. Two different chemical compositions (using a mol rate Fe$^{2+}$/Fe$^{3+}$ = 1/2 and only Fe$^{2+}$) and 2-methoxyethanol were used for making proper solutions. And the solutions were refluxed and dry in a dry oven and the samples were fired at 200$\sim$600$^{\circ}C$ in the N$_2$ atmosphere. The formation of single-phased spinel ferrite powders was identified with the X-ray diffraction measurement as they were fired at above 250$^{\circ}C$. The result of scanning electron microscopy measurement showed the increase of annealing temperature yielded the particle size increased. The magnetic transition was observed using the Mossbaur spectroscopy measurement. As the ferrite, prepared with the chemical composition (Fe$^{2+}$/Fe$^{3+}$ = 1/2), was fired at 250$^{\circ}C$, 78% of the ferrite had a ferrimagnetic property and 22% of the ferrite was non-magnetic. In case of preparing the sample with only Fe$^{2+}$ and annealed at 200$^{\circ}C$, it had a single phased spinel structure but its particle size was too small to be ferrimagnetic. The annealing temperature above 250$^{\circ}C$ made powders a spinel structure regardless of the preparation method. They had a typical soft magnetic property and their saturation magnetization and coercivity became larger as the annealing temperature increased.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.85-90
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• 2012

Oxidation of the $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ compound crystal and its effect on the coercivity of the fine $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ crystal particles were investigated. Oxidation kinetics of the $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ compound crystal was investigated using an excessively grown $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ grains in the $Nd_{15}Fe_{77}B_8$ alloy ingot. Oxidation of the $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ compound crystal occurred by dissociation of the phase into multi-phase mixture of ${\alpha}$-Fe, $Fe_3B$, and Nd oxides. Oxidation rate of the $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ compound crystal showed no dependence on the crystallographic direction. The oxidation reaction was modeled according to simple linear relationship. Activation energy for the oxidation of $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ compound crystal was calculated to be approximately 26.8 kJ/mol. Fine $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ crystal particles in near single domain size was prepared by ball milling of the HDDR-treated $Nd_{15}Fe_{77}B_8$ alloy, and these particles were used for investigating the effect of oxidation on the coercvity. The near single domain size $Nd_2Fe_{14}B$ crystal particles (${\fallingdotseq}0.3\;{\mu}m$) had high coercivity over 9 kOe. However, the coercivity was radically reduced as the temperature increased in air (<2 kOe at $200^{\circ}C$). This radical coercivity reduction was attributed to the soft magnetic phases, ${\alpha}$-Fe and $Fe_3B$, which were formed on the surface of the fine particles due to the oxidation.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.265-273
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• 1997

The MR ratios and the exchange biasing field and interlayer coupling field were investigated in $Ni_{91}Fe_{19}/Co_{90}Fe_{10}/Cu/Co_{90}Fe_{10}/NiO$ spin-valve sandwiches grown on antiferromagnetic NiO films as a function of the NiO thickness, the thickness of Cu and pinning layer $Co_{90}Fe_{10}$. The spin-valve sandwiches were deposited on the Corning glass 7059 by means of the 3-gun dc and 1-gun rf magnetron sputtering at a 5 mtorrpartial Ar pressure and room temperature. The deposition field was 50 Oe. The MR curve was measured by the four-terminal method with applied magnetic soft bilayer [NiFe/CoFe] (90$\AA$) decreased dramatically to less than 10 Oe when the NiFe/CoFe bilayer used an NiFe bilayer thicker that 20$\AA$. So NiFe layer improved the softmagnetic properties in the NiFe/CoFe bilayer. The GMR ratio and the magnetic field sensitivity of the spin-valve film $Ni_{91}Fe_{19}(40{\AA})/Co_{90}Fe_{10}(50{\AA}) /Cu(30{\AA})/Co_{90}Fe_{10}(35{\AA})/NiO(800{\AA})$ was 6.3% and about 0.5 (%/Oe), respectively. The MR ratio had 5.3% below an annealing temperature of 20$0^{\circ}C$ which slowly decreased to 3% above 30$0^{\circ}C$. The large blocking temperature of the spin-valve film was taken (as being) due to the good stability of the NiO films. Thus, the spin-valve films with a free NiFe/CoFe layer clearly had a high large GMR output and showed a effective magnetic field sensitivity for a suitable spin-valve head material.