• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.145-148
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• 2005

Effect of vacuum annealing on the microstructures and magnetic properties of $Fe_{84}Si_6B_{10}$ films has been investigated as a function of annealing temperature. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were employed to analyze crystallization behavior of the films. Permeability of the films was measured at various frequencies by one-turn coil method. When the films were annealed below 673 K, the coercivity of the films did not change a lot (${\~}$1500 A/m) although the grain size of a crystalline phase in the partially crystallized films increased gradually up to about 16 nm. It then increased rapidly as the films became almost fully crystalline mostly with $\alpha$-(Fe,Si) phase at and above 723 K. On the other hand, the electrical resistivity of the films decreased monotonically with the increase of annealing temperature. The permeabilities of the films annealed at 473${\~}$673 K were all over 1000, showing the optimum value of 3500 at 523 K, and almost constant up to 300 MHz. However, those of the as-deposited and fully crystallized films were lower than 1000 and unstable at the same frequency range.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2011

This paper describes the fabrication of AlN thin films containing iron and iron nitride particles, and the magnetic and electrical properties of such films. Fe-N-Al alloy films were deposited in Ar and $N_2$ mixtures at ambient temperature using Fe/Al composite targets in a two-facing-target DC sputtering system. X-ray diffraction results showed that the Fe-N-Al films were amorphous, and after annealing for 5 h both AlN and bcc-Fe/bct-$FeN_x$ phases appeared. Structure changes in the $FeN_x$ phases were explained in terms of occupied nitrogen atoms. Electron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that iron and iron nitride particles were randomly dispersed in annealed AlN films. The grain size of magnetic particles ranged from 5 to 20 nm in diameter depending on annealing conditions. The saturation magnetization as a function of the annealing time for the $Fe_{55}N_{20}Al_{25}$ films when annealed at 573, 773 and 873 K. At these temperatures, the amount of iron/iron nitride particles increased with increasing annealing time. An increase in the saturation magnetization is explained qualitatively in terms of the amount of such magnetic particles in the film. The resistivity increased monotonously with decreasing Fe content, being consistent with randomly dispersed iron/iron nitride particles in the AlN film. The coercive force was evaluated to be larger than $6.4{\times}10^3Am^{-1}$ (80 Oe). This large value is ascribed to a residual stress restrained in the ferromagnetic particles, which is considered to be related to the present preparation process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.387-387
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• 2013

Currently, the flash memory and the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) have been used in a variety of applications. However, the downsizing of devices and the increasing density of recording medias are now in progress. So there are many demands for development of new semiconductor memory for next generation. Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is one of the prospective semiconductor memories with excellent features including non-volatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage, and high storage density. MRAM is composed of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The MTJ stack consists of various magnetic materials, metals, and a tunneling barrier layer. Recently, MgO thin films have attracted a great attention as the prominent candidates for a tunneling barrier layer in the MTJ stack instead of the conventional Al2O3 films, because it has low Gibbs energy, low dielectric constant and high tunneling magnetoresistance value. For the successful etching of high density MRAM, the etching characteristics of MgO thin films as a tunneling barrier layer should be developed. In this study, the etch characteristics of MgO thin films have been investigated in various gas mixes using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE). The Cl2/Ar, CH3OH/Ar, and CH4/Ar gas mix were employed to find an optimized etching gas for MgO thin film etching. TiN thin films were employed as a hard mask to increase the etch selectivity. The etch rates were obtained using surface profilometer and etch profiles were observed by using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2004

Magneto-Impedance(MI) sensor is a highly sensitive sensor, which was able to detect a weak geomagnetic field. It also has a merit to be able to build in the low power system. In this study, their magnetic permeability and anisotropy field(H$\sub$k/) as a function of some different thickness of sputtered amorphous CoZrNb films with zero-magnetostriction and soft magnetic property are investigated. In order to make a uniaxial anisotropy, film was subjected to the post annealing in a static magnetic field with 1KOe intensity at 250, 300, and 320$^{\circ}C$ respectively for 2 hours. Magnetic properties of films are measured by using a M-H loop tracer. Magnetic permeability of a film is measured over the frequency range from 1 ㎒ to 750㎒. By thickening a CoZrNb film relatively, magnetic permeability and impedance are examine to design the. MI sensor which drives at 50㎒, and thereof fabricated the MI sensor which drives at the 50㎒.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.132-135
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• 2002

MI(Magneto-Impedance) sensor which is made by thin films has significantly high detecting sensitivity in weak magnetic field. It also has a merit to be able to build in the low power system. Its structure is simple, which makes it easier to prepare a miniature. In this study, its magnetic permeability and anisotropy field($H_{k}$) as a function of a thickness of sputtered amorphous CoZrNb films with zero-magnetostriction and soft magnetic property are investigated. In order to make a uniaxial anisotropy, film was subjected to the post annealing in a static magnetic field with 1KOe intensity at 250, 300, and $320^{\circ}C$ respectively for 2 hours. Magnetic properties of film are measured by using a MH loop tracer. Its magnetic permeability of a film is measured over the frequency range 1 MHz to 750MHz. And, it was examined on the permeability and impedance to design the MI sensor which acts at 50MHz by thickening a CoZrNb film relatively, and fabricated the MI sensor which acts at the 50MHz.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.138-143
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• 1998

We have investigated the magnetic properties of FeBN and FeSiN films deposited by RF magnetron reactive sputtering system. It was investigated that the compositions of B, Si and N were the main factors influencing the soft magnetic properties and film resistivity. The addition of small amount of N significantly improve the soft magnetic properties and electrical resistivity. The FeBN and FeSiN films were showed good soft magnetic properties which were Hc<1 Oe, Bs:19~19 kG and $\mu$'>1000 values. The composition of films were $Fe_{75}(BN)_{25},\;Fe_{78}(SiN)_{22}$ and resistivity was 100~120 $\mu$$\Omega$-cm. but, futher increase in B, Si and N concentration degraded the soft magnetic properties due to formation of nitride such as $Fe_4N$ compound.

• Journal of Industrial Technology
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• v.21 no.A
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• pp.221-229
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• 2001

The effect of Mo underlayer on the magnetic properties of CoCrTa/Cr films deposited on glass substrates were investigated. The coercivity increased and the coercivity squareness decreased by introducing Mo underlayer. The coercivity increase was attributed to the increase of in-plane c-axis orientation and magnetic isolation of Co grains deposited on Cr/Mo underlayer. The decrease of coercivity squarenesses seemed to be caused by the increase of magnetic isolation. The increase of magnetic isolation of Co grains was attributed to the diffusion of Mo atoms into grain boundaries of Co films and the physical isolation of Co grains. The coercivity of CoCrTa/Cr/Mo showed maximum values at Mo thickness of $400{\AA}$. The appearance of the maximum coercivity at that thickness was attributed to the development of strong $Co(10{\bar{1}}0)$ and $Co(10{\bar{1}}1)$ preferred orientation.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.8-10
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• 2015

The magnetic anisotropy field plays an important role in spin-orbit-torque-induced magnetization dynamics with electric current injection. Here, we propose a magnetometric technique to measure the magnetic anisotropy field in nanostructured ferromagnetic thin films. This technique utilizes a magneto-optical Kerr effect microscope equipped with two-axis electromagnets. By measuring the out-of-plane hysteresis loops and then analyzing their saturated magnetization with respect to the in-plane magnetic field, the magnetic anisotropy field is uniquely quantified within the context of the Stoner-Wohlfarth theory. The present technique can be applied to small nanostructures, enabling in-situ determination of the magnetic anisotropy field of nanodevices.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.236-241
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• 2003

Magnetic CoW thin film alloys were electrodeposited from citrate baths to investigate the resulting microstructure and magnetic properties. Deposit tungsten (W) content in the films electrodeposited at $70^{\circ}C$ were independent of current density, while coercivity decreased from hard $(H_{c,//}\~150\;Oe\;and\;H_{c.{\bot}}\;\~240\;Oe)$ to soft magnetic properties $(H_{c,//}\~20\;Oe\;and\;H_{c.{\bot}}\;\~30\;Oe)$ with increasing current densities from $10\;to\;100mA{\cdot}cm^2$, with deposit W content $(\~40\%)$ relatively unaffected by the applied current density. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that hcp $Co_3W$ phases [(200), (201) and (220) planes] in the CoW films electrodeposited at $70^{\circ}C\;and\;10mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ were dominant, whereas amorphous CoW phases with small amount of hcp $Co_3W$ [(002) planes] were dominant with deposition at $70^{\circ}C\;and\;100mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$. At intermediate current densities $(25\;and\;50mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}),\;hop\;Co_3W$ phases [(200), (002), (201) and (220)] were observed. The average grain size was measured to be 30 nm from Sheller formula. It is suggested that the change of the deposit coercivities in the CoW thin films electrodeposited at $70^{\circ}C$ is attributed to the change of microstructures with varying the current density. Nanostructured $Co_3W/amorphous-CoW$ multilayers were fabricated by alternating current density between 10 and $100 mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, varying the individual layer thickness. The magnetic properties of $Co_3W/amorphous-CoW$ multilayers were strongly dependent on the thickness of the alternating hard and soft magnetic thin films. The nanostructured $Co_3W/amorphous-CoW$ multilayers exhibited a shift from low to high coercivities suggesting a strong coupling effect.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 1993

Effects of Ta addition on Co-Cr pependicular magnetic recording media were studied to obtain high perpen-dicular coercivity at lower substrate temperature. For the purpose. magnetic properties and microstructures of Co-Cr-(Ta) films were studied by varying the Cr contents from 17 to 21 at.% and Ta contents for 0 to 3.2 at.%. Effectiveness of Ta addition in increasing perpendicular coercivity was significant for lower Cr content films. The increasement of perpendicular coercivity was more pronounced for the films deposited on $100^{\circ}C$ heated substrate in the case of ${(Co_{83}Cr_{17})}_{98.4}Ta_{1.6}$ composition. The cause of the increase of perpendicular coercivity was considered due to not the grain refinement effects and the improvement of c-axis alignments but increase of Ta and Cr segregation.