Magnetic properties of nanocomposite Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B-Fe films

Nanocomposite Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B-Fe two-phase films have been prepared by dc magnetron sputtering. Single-phase demagnetization behavior was observed in films with Fe content up to 30 vol%. Coercivity decreases while residual magnetization increases with increasing iron content higher than 17 vol%. The optimum coercivity and residual magnetization are 8.2 kOe, 6.7 kG, respectively, from a Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B-17 vol% Fe film. Typical grain sizes are 50 nm and 10 nm for the Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B and /spl alpha/-Fe phases, respectively, observed in a Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 14/B-22 vol% Fe film.