THE STRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF CO-CR THIN-FILMS FOR PERPENDICULAR RECORDING

X-ray analysis, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), transmission electr on microscopy (TEM), and high-voltage transmission electron microscopy (HVTEM) are employed to study the fine structure of a Co-Cr work laye r of a multilayer thin-film system for high-density perpendicular magn etic recording. Variations in structure and magnetic properties versus processing parameters are shown. Thin films prepared with optimal tec hnology have a columnar structure with a strong axial texture (c-axis is normal to the film surface) with dispersion up to approximate to 1. 5 around the surface normal and in the perpendicular direction. HVTEM studies show that similarly oriented grains are gathered, in the micro structure, into clusters. Precipitates, identified with a micro-microd iffiaction method, are found as being of a different character on inte rnal low-angle grain boundaries of clusters than on external ones, whi ch are classified as random grain boundaries. The existence of homogen eous magnetic volumes distinguishable from grain size is brought out u sing Lorentz microscopy. A correlation between coercivity and cluster size is found.