Soft high saturation magnetization (Fe0.7Co0.3)(1-x)N-x thin films for inductive write heads

(Fe0.7Co0.3)(1-x)N-x (or FeCoN) alloy single layers and FeCoN film sandwich ed between two very thin (5 nm) permalloy layers have been synthesized by R F diode sputtering. The saturation magnetization of the as-deposited FeCoN single layers was found to be around 24.5 kG, the same as the pure Fe0.7Co0 .3 alloy; and the minimum hard-axis coercivity was 5 Oe, In contrast, the s andwiched FeCoN films have a hard axis coercivity of 0.6 Oe, an excellent i n-plane uniaxial anisotropy with an anisotropy field of 20 Oe, The optimize d FeCoN films exhibit a BCC structure with a strong {110} fiber texture and the resistivity is 55 mu Omega . cm. The combination of high saturation an d low coercivity, makes the FeCoN films a very promising candidate for the write head materials for future magnetic recording.