Effects of Cr/Al underlayer on magnetic properties and crystallography in CoCrPtTa/Cr/Al thin films

Abstract

The effects of Cr/Al underlayers on the magnetic properties of CoCrPtTa films deposited on glass substrates were investigated. The coercivity increased and the coercivity squareness decreased by using Cr/Al underlayers. The cause of the coercivity increase is attributed to the reduction of Co(0002) texture, the increase of magnetic isolation of CoCrPtTa grains, and the refinement of CoCrPtTa grains deposited on Cr/Al underlayers. The effects of an Al overlayer on the magnetic properties of CoCrPtTa/Cr films were also studied. The decrease of coercivity squareness is ascribed to the magnetic isolation of CoCrPtTa grains.