Room temperature magnetic response of sputter deposited TbDyFe films as a function of the deposition parameters

Abstract

Magnetostrictive thin films of the ternary compound (TbyDy1-y)xFe1-x have been prepared by magnetron sputtering from a Terfenol D target onto both room-temperature and high-temperature substrates (TS<550 ºC). The aim is to select the deposition parameters of this highly magnetostrictive material in order to optimize its magnetic response. Films prepared on room-temperature substrates were amorphous and those deposited at high temperatures have a microstructure consisting of small grains of RFe2 compound and some RE oxide phases. Deposition temperatures around 550 ºC promotes in-plane orientation of (220) and (311) planes of RFe2 phase. The magnetization measurements performed at room temperature showed that depending on the processing conditions the material changes from a soft magnetic behavior with perpendicular anisotropy to a two phase system with both hard and soft magnetic phases.