Substrates influence on the structure and static electromagnetic properties of FeCoB-SiO2 thin films

The microstructure and electromagnetic properties of FeCoB-SiO₂ thin films which were deposited on different substrates (silicon, glass and Mylar) by using magnetron sputtering were studied. X-Ray Diffraction revealed that FeCo nanocrystalline only precipitated in FeCoB-SiO₂ thin films on silicon and glass substrates, and the FeCoB-SiO₂ films on Mylar substrate were amorphous. The surface images obtained by atomic microscopy (AFM) indicated that films on Mylar substrate with biggest particle size (about 120-150 nm), and agglomerated particle was discovered. The static electromagnetic properties, including resistivity and saturation magnetization for the films on different substrates, had also been investigated. The films sputtered on glass showed highest resistivity (2140 muOmega.cm) and a biggest saturation magnetization (4 pi Ms = 13 kG).