Soft magnetic properties of sputtered Co-Fe-Ta-N films

The authors report that the addition of Fe improved the soft magnetic properties of sputtered Co-Ta-N films. A bcc phase appeared accompanying a change in microstructure as the Fe content increased to 9 at.%. After annealing up to 700 degrees C, (Co/sub 83/Fe/sub 9/Ta/sub 8/)-N films showed a magnetic saturation flux density of 1.6 T, a coercivity (Hc) of less than 25 A/m, and a permeability of 3000. Well-crystallized and hcp