Effect of annealing on the structural properties of AlN thin films containing Co particles

This paper describes a new approach for preparing AlN thin films containing various Co contents by using a two-facing targets type sputtering system. The as-deposited films exhibited a variable nature expected from the AlN-rich phase, as well as an amorphous-like phase, depending on the Co content in the films. The films were annealed isothermally at different temperatures and their microstructure, magnetic properties and resistivity were examined. The saturation magnetization of the as-deposited films was quite small and almost constant, irrespective of the Co content in the films, because Co was not in the crystalline state. At elevated annealing temperatures, the as-deposited AlN-Co amorphous films crystallized into two phases of AlN and Co. The saturation magnetization and resistivity of the films increased with increasing annealing time and temperature. The coercivity of the films was independent of the annealing time, but it increased with increasing annealing temperature due to the increase in grain size. A saturation magnetization, coercivity and resistivity of 360 emu/cm³, ～25 Oe and 2200 μΩ-cm, respectively, were obtained. Further improvement in the soft magnetic properties might lead to this material being applied as a high density magnetic recording head material.