Magnetic properties of as-sputtered Co-Ni-Fe alloy films

The magnetic properties of CoNiFe films were systematically investigated ov er a wide composition range of 17.4-76.4 at% Co, 5.8-30.9 at% Ni and 16.2-7 0.5 at% Fe. The films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering using a co mposite target. The saturation magnetization and the coercivity of as-sputt ered Co23.8Ni29.3Fe46.9 and Co57.8Ni14.6Fe27.6 films are 20, 20kG and 1.8,3 Oe, respectively. Especially, the effective permeability of those films is about 1000, and maintains up to 100 MHz, which shows that the high frequen cy characteristics of sputtered CoNiFe films are better than those of elect roplated films. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.