Improvement of crystallographic characteristics of CoCrTa thin film using double underlayer

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh c-axis oriented CoCr-based thin films are expected for ultra-high density recording media in perpendicular magnetic recording system. In order to improve dispersion angle of c-axis of CoCr-based for perpendicular magnetic recording media, we prepared trilayered film with double underlayer using New Facing Targets Sputtering apparatus. The thickness of magnetic layer CoCrTa and double underlayer, such as interlayer Pt, paramagnetic CoCr, underlayer Ti was fixed 50nm and 20nm respectively. In order to prepare the thin film, we fixed argon gas pressure 1mTorr, substrate temperature 250°C and input current 0.5A. The crystallographic characteristics of CoCrTa layer with varying interlayer thickness (0- 20nm) have been investigated. By the result, the CoCrTa trilayered thin film with interlayer Pt showed good c-axis orientation 3.45° and 3.62° at thickness 5nm and 10nm respectively. However, CoCrTa thin film using interlayer paramagnetic CoCr showed 8.28° and 8.62° at thickness 5nm and 10nm respectively.