Magnetic properties of CoPt-SiNx/Ag nanocomposite films

When the thickness of Ag under layer is 25 nm, the CoPt/Ag film has maximum out-of-plane squareness (S-perpendicular to), minimum in-plane squareness (S-parallel to), and the largest out-of-plane coercivity (H-c perpendicular to), they are 0.95, 0.35, and 15 kOe, respectively. Different volume percent of SiNx ceramic materials were co-sputtered with Co50Pt50 films on the Ag under layer to reduce the grain size of the CoPt film. Comparing the X-ray diffraction pattern of CoPt-SiNx/Ag films without annealing with that of the films which annealed at 600 and 700 degrees C, it is found that the intensities of CoPt (001) and CoPt (002) superlattice lines were reduced after annealing. As the SiNx content is raised to 50 vol%, the particle size of CoPt is reduced to be about 9 nm. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.