EFFECT OF COMPOSITION ON CRYSTALLINE TEXTURE AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF ND2FE14B THIN-FILMS

NdFeB magnetic thin films have been directly fabricated onto heated qu artz substrates by RF sputtering. The crystallographic texture, micros tructure, phase composition, and magnetic properties of the films are investigated using XRD, SEM, EDAX, and VSM. The films consist of tetra gonal Nd2Fe14B and Nd-rich phases, and present high anisotropy. For th e films with relatively low Fe content, the c-axis alignment is basica lly isotropic. The alignment appears to be highly anisotropic and tend s to switch to a direction perpendicular to the plane with increasing Fe content. The maximum coercivity of 0.73 T is obtained in the film p lane, whereas the maximum saturation magnetization of 1.35 T is obtain ed in the direction perpendicular to the film plane. These results ind icate that the phase composition greatly affects the crystalline textu re and magnetic properties. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.