Effects of Fe(Pt) single layer thickness and carbon doping on (001) orientation and magnetic properties of FePt thin films

The effects of the Fe(Pt) single layer thickness and carbon doping on the chemical ordering, (001) orientation, and magnetic properties of the [Fe/Pt]n thin films have been studied. The [Fe/Pt]n thin films with various Fe(Pt) single layer thicknesses and carbon contents were prepared on thermally oxidized Si(100) substrates by using magnetron sputtering at room temperature and annealed in hydrogen atmosphere at 600 °C. It was found that the annealed [Fe/Pt]n film with a single layer thickness of 0.5 nm exhibited high chemical ordering and (001) preferred orientation. Suitable carbon doping induced high (001) texture and enhanced soft and hard magnetic exchange couple. The hard magnetic property of the films deteriorated with increasing carbon content.