SPUTTER SYNTHESIS OF TBCU7 TYPE SM(COFECUZR) FILMS WITH CONTROLLED EASY-AXIS ORIENTATION

Single phase TbCu7 type films of Sm(CoFeCuZr) have been sputter synthe sized for a range of sputter gas pressure, deposition temperature, and two different gas species: Ar and Ar50%Xe. The magnetic and crystallo graphic properties of these films as a function of; sputter deposition parameters have been studied. Films synthesized at temperatures near their crystallization temperatures at sputter gas pressures exceeding 60 mTorr of Ar50%Xe, had a strong c-axis in-plane texture. The remanen t magnetization ratio for measurement perpendicular to the film plane versus in plane was close to zero for such films. X-ray diffraction pa tterns of these films showed only (hkO) type reflections. At gas press ures around 30 mTorr predominant reflection was (111) type. The perpen dicular to the in-plane B-R ratio for such films was around 0.55. For films with in-plane c-axis texture, in-plane B-r of 9.0 kGauss and coe rcivities in the range 3-10 kOe were possible. Pressures of Ar and Ar5 0%Xe correlated roughly in the ratio 1:2 for the synthesis of films, w ith comparable crystallographic and magnetic properties.