Structure and Magnetic Properties of Sputtered (Gd,Tb)-(Fe,Co) Films

The effect of Ar pressure on internal stress and magnetic characteristics of various rare-earth transition metal (Gd or Tb)-(Co or Fe) films were studied. Increasing the Ar pressure changed the internal stress of all of the films tested from compressive to tensile. The authors suggest that Ar pressure affects internal stress and fractured the cross-sectional structure because the pressure affects the mean free path of the particles.