Effect of carbon mixing on the degree of perpendicular texture of FePt:C nanocomposite film for magnetic recording media

The effect of carbon mixing on the perpendicular magnetization of magnetron sputtered FePt thin films was studied using magnetic property measurement and X-ray diffraction, and TEM microscopy. Micromagnetic simulation was carried out to study the effect of texture on the perpendicular coercivity. Unlike general conviction, the mixing of FePt with carbon led to a significant enhancement in the perpendicular magnetization. The maximum enhancement of perpendicular magnetization was observed at about 20 vol.% of carbon, where carbon amorphous film started to completely enclose the individual FePt grains. This reason was explained that the epitaxial growth and thus perpendicular texture of ordered FePt grains were maximized due to the relaxation of coherency for epitaxial growth which was maximized in the isolated grains. The perpendicular coercivity reached 8500 Oe, while the in-plane coercivity (120 Oe) remained negligible. The simulation showed that the enhancement of perpendicular texture can largely increase the perpendicular coercivity of FePt:C thin film.