FMR, XRD AND XHRTEM CHARACTERIZATION OF STRESSES IN AN EPITAXIAL NI-CU FILM PREPARED ON MGO(001) BY DC BIASED PLASMA SPUTTER-DEPOSITION

Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), X-ray reflection diffraction (XRD) and cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (XHRT EM) are applied to characterize the stresses of the d.c. biased plasma -sputter-deposited Ni97Cu3 films grown epitaxially on a MgO(001) subst rate. The FMR study indicates that a homogeneously compressive intrins ic stress and an anisotropic planar stress are simultaneously induced in the film, The latter consists of the part induced during the film f ormation and the part originated from the magnetocrystalline anisotrop y of the Ni-Cu crystal. The compressive stress in the film is also con firmed by the XRD study. The XHRTEM study reveals misfit dislocations generated in the Ni-Cu crystal at the MgO interface relaxing the strai n energy due to the lattice mismatch between Ni97Cu3 and MgO crystals and locally induced lattice distortions. In conclusion the stress insi de the film is compressive as a whole. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.