Magnetic properties of SmCo/Cr thin films with Cr under different preparation conditions

We have investigated the magnetic properties of SmCo/Cr thin films with Cr underlayer prepared at different Ar pressures by de magnetron sputtering. A ll samples have in-plane anisotropy. The magnetic property studies indicate that the coercivity at room temperature of SmCo/Cr thin film is UP to 4.20 kOe when prepared at higher Ar pressure (0.40 Pa), and 1.60 kOe when prepa red at lower Ar pressure (0.08 Pa). The shapes of initial loop for two cond itions suggest that wall pinning is the dominant coercivity mechanism. Shap es of remanence curves indicate that the films prepared at higher Ar pressu re have both positive and negative exchange coupling, and the films prepare d at lower pressure have only negative exchange coupling, (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. AU rights reserved.