Nanostructures of Sm-Co on Cr thin films

Authors

Yi Liu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
B. W. Robertson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Z.S. Shan, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
S. Malhotra, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
M.J. Yu, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
S.K. Renukunta, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Sy_Hwang Liou, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
David J. Sellmyer, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

11-1-1994

Comments

IEEE Trans. on Magnetics, 30, 4035(1994). Copyright 1994. Permission to use.

Abstract

The nanostructures of Sm-Co on Cr thin films prepared by dc magnetron sputtering were investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and diffraction techniques. HRTEM micrographs show that the crystallites in the Sm-Co films, as revealed by the lattice fringes, are distributed discontinuously in the matrix. The matrix is amorphous as indicated by the microdiffraction study. The size of the crystallites is in the range of 2~5 nanometers. The volume fraction of the crystallites in the film decreases from 91% to 54% as the argon pressure is increased from 5 mTorr to 30 mTorr. Micrographs recorded in a bright field transmission electron microscope (TEM) with a defocus of a few micrometers reveal grain-like structures of about 25 nm in some but not all films. This grain-structure is found to be inherited from the Cr underlayer.