Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of Fept Film with Carbide Intermediate Layer

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FePt thin film is a promising material for heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). To achieve high (001) texture and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, the FePt film was almost prepared on MgO, TiN/CrRu intermediate/seed layers. In this work, the group 4-6d transition metal-carbide, for example MoC, TiC(O), TaC, were used as the epitaxial intermediate layers of FePt film. The Mo, Ta, Ti-carbide with near equal atomic ratio shows face centered cubic structure with a lattice constant similar to MgO (~0.42 nm). The (200) textured MoC [1], TaC, and TiC(O) films were prepared by magnetron sputtering on CrRu(200)/[110/glass with small lattice misfit (~3.5%). From x-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), the TaC (200) peak shows much higher relative intensity than TiC(O) and MoC and the TaC (200) diffraction peak was shifted to lower angle as compared to MoC (200). Furthermore, the L1
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FePt film was deposited on TaC, TiC(O) or MoC intermediate layer at 425°C. The FePt films illustrates (001) texture on TaC, TiC(O) and MoC intermediate layer but the ordering degree are quite different. The ordering degree effects on magnetic anisotropy and microstructure were further discussed.