MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF CONIPT AND CONIPD THIN-FILMS

CoNiPt and CoNiPd thin films were investigated for high-density longitudinal recording media. The samples were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering. Concentration of Pt or Pd was controlled by changing the number of Pt or Pd chips put on the Co 20 at. % Ni target. It was observed that the coercivity of the samples increased with increasing the Pt or Pd concentration. The x-ray diffraction intensity of Co(002) of the CoNiPt and CoNiPd samples also increased as Pt and Pd content increased, respectively. As a result, it was found that the coercivity increased as the intensity of Co(002) in both films increased. There was no significant difference between CoNi and CoNiPt and CoNiPd films in SEM surface micrographs. The cause of the difference in coercivity may be attributed to the difference in magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the films.