Magnetic Properties of Ion Beam Sputtered CoCrTa Films

To suppress segregation in CoCr film for use in rigid disk media, the authors studied the properties of ion beam sputtered CoCr thin films with Ta added, formed at different substrate temperatures and to different film thicknesses. Films retain a high H_c⊥ at low Ta contents (≪ 3 at%), and films of thicknesses 0.1 μm and below showed a perpendicular orientation. As little segregation occurs in such films, they are regarded as suitable for use in perpendicular recording media.