MICROSTRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF COCRPT CR FILMS ON ULTRASMOOTH NIP/ALMG SUBSTRATES/

Investigation of the correlation between the microstructure and magnet ic properties of Co68Cr20Pt12/Cr thin films which;were sputter deposit ed under different conditions onto 95 mm ultrasmooth NiP/AlMg disk sub strates (R(a) similar to 2 Angstrom) has been carried out. Grain morph ology characteristics of the films and disk surface roughness were stu died by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by atomic force mic roscopy. Tilted-specimen electron diffraction patterns were used to de termine the crystallographic texture of the films. The low coercivity of the disks deposited at 100 degrees C preheated substrates is attrib uted to the randomly oriented grains of the CoCrPt/Cr layers. Enhancem ent of the coercivity of the disks deposited on 220 degrees C preheate d substrates is thou,bht to be mainly due to the (<11(2)over bar 0>)Co CrPt/(002)Cr crystallographic texture and uniformly distributed grains which are equiaxed in shape. The strength of the (<11(2)over bar 0>)C oCrPt/(002)Cr texture can be modified by the Ar gas pressure during th e deposition of the Cr underlayer. (C) 1996 American Institute of Phys ics.