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arXiv · 1301.1212

Improved magnetization in sputtered dysprosium thin films

G. Scheunert·W. R. Hendren·A. A. Lapicki·R. Hardeman·M. Gubbins·R. M. Bowman
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Abstract

50nm thick nanogranular polycrystalline dysprosium thin films have been prepared via ultra-high vacuum DC sputtering on SiO2 and Si wafers. The maximum in-plane spontaneous magnetization at T = 4K was found to be MS4K = 3.28T for samples deposited on wafers heated to 350C with a Neel point of TN = 173K and a ferromagnetic transition at TC = 80K, measured via zero field cooled field cooled magnetization measurements, close to single crystal values. The slightly reduced magnetization is explained in the light of a metastable face centered cubic crystal phase which occurred at the seed interface and granularity related effects, that are still noticeably influential despite an in-plane magnetic easy axis. As deposited samples showed reduced magnetization of MS4K = 2.26T, however their ferromagnetic transition shifted to a much higher temperature of TC = 172K and the antiferromagnetic phase was completely suppressed probably as a result of strain.

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G. Scheunert, W. R. Hendren, A. A. Lapicki, R. Hardeman, M. Gubbins, R. M. Bowman. 2013-01-07. Improved magnetization in sputtered dysprosium thin films. https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727%2F46%2F15%2F152001

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