Properties of Ion-Beam-Sputtered Ni/Fe Artificial Lattice Film

Abstract

This paper reports the results of experimental investigations into the physical and magnetic properties of Ni/Fe artificial lattice films. Through a structure analysis of Ni/Fe lattice films, it is found that the Fe layer has poor crystallinity and the Ni layer has a face-centered cubic structure with strong preferred orientation. Additionally, it is known that the Ni/Fe lattice film acquires good soft-magnetic properties with small coercivity and uniaxial anisotropy as the lattice period is decreased. Saturation magnetization and magnetostriction are confirmed to be controlled by changing the lattice period and the thickness of Ni and Fe layers.