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Structural and magnetic properties of micropolycrystalline cobalt thin films fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering

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Abstract

Pure cobalt (Co) thin films were fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering, and the effects of sputtering power and pressure on the microstructure and electromagnetic properties of the films were investigated. As the sputtering power increases from 15 to 60 W, the Co thin films transition from an amorphous to a polycrystalline state, accompanied by an increase in the intercrystal pore width. Simultaneously, the resistivity decreases from 276 to 99 µΩ·cm, coercivity increases from 162 to 293 Oe, and in-plane magnetic anisotropy disappears. As the sputtering pressure decreases from 1.6 to 0.2 Pa, grain size significantly increases, resistivity significantly decreases, and the coercivity significantly increases (from 67 to 280 Oe), which can be attributed to the increase in defect width. Correspondingly, a quantitative model for the coercivity of Co thin films was formulated. The polycrystalline films sputtered under pressures of 0.2 and 0.4 Pa exhibit significant in-plane magnetic anisotropy, which is primarily attributable to increased microstress.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2017YFB0305500) and grants from the State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Kerui Song, Zhou Li & Zhu Xiao

  2. State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Zhou Li & Qian Lei

  3. Hunan Key Laboratory of Super-Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, School of Physics and electronics, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Mei Fang

  4. Key Laboratory of Non-Ferrous Metal Materials Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410083, China

    Zhu Xiao

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  1. Kerui Song
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Correspondence to Zhu Xiao.

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Song, K., Li, Z., Fang, M. et al. Structural and magnetic properties of micropolycrystalline cobalt thin films fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering. Int J Miner Metall Mater 31, 384–394 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-023-2715-5

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