Effect of Cr underlayer on microstructure and magnetic properties of Sm/sub 2/Co/sub 17/ thin films

Sm
₂
Co
₁₇
thin films were deposited on a Cr underlayer by dc magnetron sputtering. Sm
₂
Co
₁₇
(300) in-plane texture was observed as the thickness of the Cr underlayer was in the range of 100–300 nm. The exchange coupling effect of the Sm
₂
Co
₁₇
films was investigated from ΔM plots. The Cr underlayer was found to play an important role in decreasing the intergranular interactions in the Sm
₂
Co
₁₇
films because of the formation of granular structure. TEM micrographs indicate that the magnetic decoupling can be due to isolated Sm
₂
Co
₁₇
magnetic clusters which is induced by a Cr(110) textured underlayer.