Effect of the Pressure of Working Gas on the Microcrystalline Structure and Magnetic Properties of the Co Film Deposited with the Aid of Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract

Effect of argon pressure 0.09 ≤ P ≤ 1 Pa on the microcrystalline structure and magnetic properties of the cobalt films with a thickness of d ≈ 300 nm that are fabricated with the aid of magnetic sputtering on the SiO₂/Si substrates is studied. It is demonstrated that the films obtained at a pressure of Р ≥ 0.2 Pa exhibit mixed crystal phase with close-packed hexagonal (CPH) and face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice with the CPH–Co(002)/FCC–Co(111) texture and column microstructure over thickness. The films deposited at a pressure of Р ≈ 0.09 Pa are characterized by the dominant FCC crystal phase with the FCC–Со(200) texture and inhomogeneous microstructure over thickness: at the interface with the substrate in a layer with a thickness of d₁ ≈ 150 nm, the films exhibit quasi-homogeneous microstructure that is transformed into the granulated microstructure at d > d₁. The films deposited at a pressure of Р ≈ 0.09 Pa have the saturation magnetization that is higher by 30% and the coercive force and linewidth of ferromagnetic resonance that are several times less than those of the film obtained at a pressure of Р ≈ 1 Pa.