Soft Magnetic Properties of Nanocrystalline Fe-Ceramic Films

Fe-M-(O,F) (M=Si, Mg, Y, Zr, Ca, Al) films were prepared by co-sputtering of Fe and ceramic targets. These films have a network-like structure consisting of fine metallic grains of diameter 50 to 100 Å and ceramic-like boundaries. Those films that consist of bec Fe grains have soft magnetic properties and low magnetostriction in the as-deposited state. Their permeability has good frequency response, which seems to be attributable to the reduction of eddy current losses by the highly resistive boundaries.