Effects of substrate temperature and Cu underlayer thickness on the formation of SmCo5(0001) epitaxial thin films

SmCo{sub 5}(0001) epitaxial thin films were prepared on Cu(111) underlayers heteroepitaxially grown on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) single-crystal substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The effects of substrate temperature and Cu underlayer thickness on the crystallographic properties of SmCo{sub 5}(0001) epitaxial films were investigated. The Cu atoms of underlayer diffuse into the SmCo{sub 5} film and substitute the Co sites in SmCo{sub 5} structure forming an alloy compound of Sm(Co,Cu){sub 5}. The ordered phase formation is enhanced with increasing the substrate temperature and with increasing the Cu underlayer thickness. The Cu atom diffusion into the SmCo{sub 5} film is assisting the formation of Sm(Co,Cu){sub 5} ordered phase.