Optical and magneto-optical characterization of TbFeCo thin films in trilayer structures

Authors

William A. McGahan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Ping He, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Liang-Yao Chen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Sal Bonafede, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
John A. Woollam, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
F. Sequeda, IBM Storage Systems Products Division, San Jose, California
T. McDaniel, IBM Storage Systems Products Division, San Jose, California
H. Do, IBM Storage Systems Products Division, San Jose, California

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

4-15-1991

Comments

Published in J. Appl. Phys. 69 (8), 15 April 1991. Copyright 1991 American Institute of Physics. Used by permission.

Abstract

A series of TbFeCo films ranging in thickness from 100 to 800 Å have been deposited in trilayer structures on silicon wafer substrates, with S₃N₄ being employed as the dielectric material. These films have been characterized both optically and magneto-optically by variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry, normal angle of incidence) reflectometry, and normal angle of incidence Kerr spectroscopy. From these measurements, the optical constants n and k have been determined for the TbFeCo films, as well as the magneto-optical constants Ql and Q2. Results are presented that demonstrate the lack of dependence of these constants on the thickness of the TbFeCo film, and which can be used for calculating the expected optical and magneto-optical response of any multilayer structure containing similar TbFeCo films.