Open AccessMagnetic properties and microstructure of Mn–Al–C thin films
Author(s) -
P. C. Kuo,
K. J. Ker,
Y. D. Yao,
JiaHong Huang
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of applied physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.699
H-Index - 319
eISSN - 1089-7550
pISSN - 0021-8979
DOI - 10.1063/1.369133
Subject(s) - coercivity , materials science , thin film , annealing (glass) , microstructure , amorphous solid , analytical chemistry (journal) , thermal stability , ferromagnetism , carbon film , sputter deposition , grain size , sputtering , magnetization , nuclear magnetic resonance , metallurgy , condensed matter physics , crystallography , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , chemistry , magnetic field , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics , engineering
MnxAl100−x−yCy thin films with x=35–65 at. % and y=0–2.4 at. % were prepared by rf magnetron sputtering. Effects of the chemical composition and annealing temperature on the magnetic properties and microstructure of Mn–Al–C films were investigated. X-ray analysis shows that the as-deposited Mn–Al–C thin films are amorphous, and their saturation magnetization is very low. After annealing at temperatures between 400 and 550 °C in vacuum for 30 min, the magnetic phase with higher carbon concentration shows better thermal stability. The best annealing condition was found to be at 410 °C for 30 min. A ferromagnetic τ phase with a grain size of roughly 200–250 nm appeared at a composition range between 40 and 60 at. % Mn for MnxAl99−xC1 thin films; and the sample with Mn50Al49C1 has high coercivity and moderate saturation magnetization. The carbon addition can increase the thermal stability of the coercivity of the Mn–Al thin films.
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