Magnetic properties of ion beam deposited CoPt and CoCrPt films for hard bias application in high density magnetoresistive heads

We have observed a 30% of enhancement in coercivity, H-c, or a 40% increase in remnant magnetization in ion beam deposited (IBD) Cr/CoPt films as comp ared to IBD Cr/CoCrPt films. In addition, the magnetic properties of these hard bias films exhibit a strong dependence of on substrate and underlayer, Higher coercivity values associated with enhanced hcp Co (10 (1) over bar 0) crystallographic orientation were measured in films grown on substrates in the preference order of glass, Si/Al2O3 and Si. CoPt films grown on CrV underlayer show lower H-c values than films deposited on Cr underlayer, H-c exhibits a maximum with increasing Cr underlayer thickness for both Cr/CoP t and Cr/CoCrPt films. This Cr thickness dependence of H-c is correlated we ll with that of Co (10 (1) over bar 0)/(0002) x-ray diffraction peak intens ity ratio, indicating the role of crystallographic texture in control of co ercivity of IBD hard bias films.