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Intergranular Coupling and Grain Isolation of Thin Co Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Heng Gong ,
Wei Yang ,
David N. Lambeth  and
David E. Laughlin
Heng Gong
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Eng., Data Storage Systems Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
Wei Yang
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Eng., Data Storage Systems Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
David N. Lambeth
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Eng., Data Storage Systems Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
David E. Laughlin
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Eng. Data Storage Systems Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
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Abstract

The effects of rapid oxidation and overcoat diffusion processes on the intergranular coupling and grain isolation in thin Co films were studied. The oxidation process was found to be strongly temperature dependent. The optimal coercivities can only be achieved within a narrow range of temperatures, while further increasing the temperature incurs significant thermal instability. CrMn underlayers were confirmed to be more effective in enhancing the grain isolation by the grain boundary diffusion during the oxidation process. The oxidation process does not change the Co anisotropy, and hence the coercivity increase is appears to be a result of better grain isolation. The in-situ diffusion of Ag and Cr overcoats were also found to have siginificant effects on the grain isolation in Co and CoCr films.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 517: Symposium F – Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for High Power, High Frequency , January 1998 , 223
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

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