Electron Microscope Study of the Roughness of Permalloy Films Using Surface Replication

Abstract

Permalloy films evaporated at normal and oblique incidence to a substrate were examined by replication of their surfaces. Electron micrographs revealed chains of particles perpendicular to the incident beam. The degree of alignment and the lengths of the chains depended upon the angle of incidence and the film thickness. A statistical analysis of the micrographs was made. The magnetic data showed a discrepancy between the magnetic thickness and the optical thickness for oblique incidence films.