Magnetic properties of Fe-Co/Fe-Co-N multilayered films with high saturation flux density

Fe-Co/Fe-Co-N multilayered films were prepared by an alternation of RF-sputtering and electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma nitridation, and the structure and magnetic properties of each were investigated. N/sub 2/ ECR plasma exposure generated nitride ( epsilon or zeta nitride) phases with low saturation flux density on the sputtered Fe-Co layers' surface. In these multilayered films, fine crystal grains and an expansion of the BCC (body centered cubic) lattice parameter were observed. For the optimum preparation conditions, Fe/sub 97.2/Co/sub 2.8//Fe/sub 97.2/Co/sub 2.8/-N multilayered films demonstrated a high saturation flux density of B/sub s/=2.0 T, a low coercivity of H/sub c/=120 A/m, and a relative permeability of mu '>2200 at 20 MHz.<
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