Study on magneto-optical TbFeCo thin films magnetron-sputtered from targets with low and high magnetic permeabilities

We investigated the influence of the magnetic permeabilities of the magneto-optical (MO) tertiary TbFeCo targets. Films were sputter-deposited by using a magnetron rf-dc sputtering system. Target B with a low magnetic permeability (5) was found favorable with regard to the target use efficiency (35%), and the uniform film thickness in the range of 1975 /spl Aring/ to 2015 /spl Aring/ over a substrate of 130 mn in diameter, compared to Target A with a high magnetic permeability (40). The difference of the Tb content between the sputtered thin films and Target B was found narrower than that of the Tb content between the sputtered thin films and Target A. A low motor current was needed to rotate the magnet placed below Target B during the magnetron-sputtering.