Co-evaporation of Co-Cr at intermediate oblique incidence

Abstract

The co-evaporation technique has been used for deposition of Co-Cr layers. Deposition has been done under intermediate angle of incidence of opposing vapour streams. The layers showed a single phase hcp poly-crystalline structure. The (002) plane turned out to be tilted towards the direction of the Co source. The layers showed good perpendicular magnetic behaviour although the magnetic anisotropy axis was also inclined towards the Co-source. Because of the opposing angle of incidence for Co and Cr atoms, a process-induced segregation takes place which causes a relative high coercivity also at low process temperatures. A simple model for the segregation effect can explain the relation between the existance of a non-magnetic region and an increased coercivity of the Co-Cr film