Texture and magnetic properties of Fe thin films fabricated by field-sputtering vs field-annealing

• The effects of the external magnetic field on the texture of iron films were investigated.
• The magnetic easy direction did not develop in the imposed magnetic field direction.
• The field-sputtering was very effective in controlling the magnetic properties of iron films.

The effect of the external magnetic field during magnetic thin film fabrication process on texture formation and magnetic properties has been studied by conducting and comparing the field-sputtered vs the field-annealed Fe thin films. The crystal orientations of the films were analyzed in both perpendicular direction and lateral direction in relation to the film surface, using a 3-axis-rotation X-ray goniometer. When the external magnetic field was imposed on the direction parallel to the film surface during the field-sputtering and the field-annealing, the < 110 >//normal direction fiber texture in the no-field-sputtered Fe film was substantially reduced, whereas the < 110 >//field direction fiber texture was enhanced. The field-sputtering was much more effective than the field-annealing in the formation of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy because of the decline of the < 110 > orientations in the out-of-plane direction and its enhancement in the in-plane direction.