Bias effects in facing targets sputtering on the structure and magnetic properties of NdFeMo thin films

The use of DC substrate biasing, V/sub b/, to modulate the structure and magnetic properties of NdFeMo films prepared by facing-target sputtering was investigated. It was found that films of high quality with a smoother surface and denser structure could be produced through the promotion of adatom diffusion and impurity resputtering by applying a V/sub b/ lower than -120 V during sputtering. In particular, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy was improved as a result of adatom combination and structure orientation produced by V/sub b/ from (-70 to -120 V). A resputtering effect is dominant at higher values of V/sub b/ (>-150) and the orientation of the films is adversely affected.<
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