Magnetic hardening in SmCo_x–Co multilayers and nanocomposites

Authors

J. Ping Liu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Yi Liu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Ralph Skomski, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
David J. Sellmyer, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

4-15-1999

Comments

Published by American Institute of Physics. J. Applied Physics 85, 4812 (1999). ©1999 American Institute of Physics. Permission to use. http://jap.aip.org/jap/.

Abstract

SmCo_x–Co (x = 3.5, 4, and 5) nanostructured multilayers have been prepared by dc and rf sputtering. Magnetic hardening has been found in the as-deposited thin films. The effects of the Co and hard-phase layer thicknesses and the effect of the Cr underlayer have been studied. Further magnetic hardening has been achieved by heat treating the samples. A remarkable increase of the coercivity has been obtained in the nanocomposite films, with coercive force up to 40 kOe. Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and magnetic force microscopy observations have been performed to understand the nanostructure and the domain structure.