The fundamental role of Ta diffusion on the high coercivity of Ta/SmCo5/Ta and Ta/Sm2Co17/Ta films

The fundamental contribution of the Ta layer to the highly coercive Ta/SmCo / Ta films was investigated. A room temperature coercivity value of 4.5 T was achieved in film with 60% SmCo5 and 40% Sm2Co17. In films, in which only the Sm2Co17 phase was observed in XRD (X-ray diffraction), a high coercivity of 2 T was also obtained. All films were obtained by codeposition at temperature environment of Sm and Co atoms on a Ta layer, followed by annealing to promote the crystallization of the Sm-Co film. The following results were observed: (i) the presence of voids in the Sm-Co layer, observed in the cross- section STEM (Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope) images, (ii) the presence of stable Taα phase, observed in the XRD analysis, (iii) Ta diffusion in the Sm-Co layer, identified in the XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) deep profile and, (iv) the initial magnetization curve, typical of a magnetization reversal controlled by pinning that led us to conclude that the voids produced during annealing by the diffusion of Ta in the Sm-Co layer, and they act as a pinning for the magnetization inversion, resulting in highly coercive films. Ta diffusion promoted the transition from the metastable Taβ phase to the stable Taα phase, at temperatures below 800 ◦C. Another important result was the strong exchange interaction between the grains reflected in the square hysteresis with Mr/Ms≈1. [Display omitted] •High coercivity in SmCo5 and Sm2Co17 films deposited on a buffer layer.•Ta diffusion in Sm-Co layer during annealing.•Voids in Sm-Co layer created during Ta diffusion in this layer.•Voids in the Sm-Co layer act as pinning to magnetization inversion.