Effect of annealing on the characteristics of Au layers grown on the high-temperature deposited Ni50Fe50 layers

80 nm-thick Ni50Fe50 layers were sputter-deposited on glass substrates at 400 °C and then Au layers were sputter-deposited on the Ni50Fe50 layers. The Au/Ni50Fe50 bilayer films were annealed in a vacuum of 5×10−4 Pa from 250 to 450 °C for 30 min or 90 min. The characteristics of the Au layers were studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and a four-point probe technique. When the annealing temperature reaches 450 °C, Fe and Ni atoms diffuse markedly into the Au layer and the Fe content is more than the Ni content. When the annealing temperature is lower than 450 °C, the grain size of the Au layers does not change markedly with annealing temperature. However, as the annealing temperature reaches 450 °C, the annealing promotes the grain growth of the Au layer. As the annealing temperature exceeds 300 °C, the resistivity of the bilayer films increases with increasing annealing temperature. The diffusion of Fe and Ni atoms into the Au layer results in an increase in the resistivity of the annealed bilayer film. Large numbers of Fe and Ni atoms diffusing into the Au layer of the annealed Au/Ni50Fe50 bilayer film lead to a significant decrease in the lattice constant of the Au layer.