The influence of deposition conditions on the magnetic properties in PtMnSb films

The dependence of magnetic properties on preparation conditions and annealing temperature of PtMnSb intermetallic compound has been investigated. Samples were prepared by sputter deposition on an SiO/sub 2/ substrate under different sputtering conditions. Magnetic properties of as-deposited films were strongly related to argon sputter gas pressure (P/sub Ar/) and substrate temperature during sputtering. The anisotropy changes from parallel to perpendicular to the substrate plane P/sub Ar/=30 mTorr and coercivity as high as 400 Oe was obtained at 40 mTorr. Annealing over 350 degrees C led to an increase in Theta /sub k/ for all samples. K/sub u perpendicular to / of 2*10/sup 4/ erg/cm/sup 3/ and H/sub c perpendicular to / of 800 Oe were obtained by annealing at 450 degrees C for the films deposited over about P/sub Ar/=20 mTorr. The angular dependence of H/sub c/ for these samples is fairly large and qualitatively in agreement with simple Stoner-Wohlfarth behavior. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation clarified that such films are composed of PtMnSb columns, which behave like single-domain particles.<
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