Magnetic Properties of Co Thin Films Evaporated under Normal and Oblique Incidence

Abstract

We have evaporated series of Co thin films under vacuum onto silicon and glass substrates at a perpendicular and oblique incidence. The thickness of the magnetic layer ranges from 20 to 400 nm. The static magnetic properties have been performed by means of magnetic force microscopy (M.F.M.) and Alternating Gradient Field Magnetometer (A.G.F.M.) techniques. The influence of the magnetic layer thickness and the deposition angle are studied. As results, it is found a decrease of the coercive field from 250 Oe, for t = 20 nm, to 95 Oe, for t = 400 nm. TheseHcvalues for obliquely evaporated cobalt films are larger than those measured for cobalt films evaporated at normal incidence, found to be equal to a few Oe. It is also found a decrease of the anisotropy field, from 1.6 kOe for the 20 nm Co thick film to 0.95 kOe for the 200 nm Co thick film. Furthermore, an increase of these fields with the increase of the deposition angle is found, as well. The easy axis of the saturation magnetization lies in the film plane, irrespective of the substrate nature. These results, and others, are presented and discussed.