The low temperature dependence of magnetization of As-deposited Fe-Hf-C-N nanocrystalline thin films

Abstract

We have studied the magnetic properties of as-deposited Fe-Hf-C-N and Fe-Hf-N nanocrystalline thin films with good soft magnetic properties. Thin films have been prepared by a reactive magnetron sputtering method ina nitrogen atmosphere. The as-deposited thin films are fully nanocrystallized during deposition by controlling the composition and sputtering condition. Fe-Hf-C-N and Fe-Hf-N films show good soft magnetic properties of saturation magnetization of about 17 kG and coercivity of 0.5 Oe. In order to investigate the intrinsic magnetic properties we analyzed the temperature dependence of magnetization. Both of the thin films are composed of finely dispersed Fe(similar to 5 nm) and smaller Nf precipitates. It seems that exceptionally small grains and precipitates enhance the soft magnetic properties. (C) 1999 Acta Metallurgica Inc.