Effects of Os spacer layers on the thermal stability, microstructures, and magnetic properties of FePt films on Si(100)

The thermal stability, interlayer diffusion, and magnetic properties of FePt(100 nm) single-layer and multilayer [Os(5 nm)/FePt(25 nm)]4 films on a Si(100) substrate with/without a 10-nm-thick Os underlayer have been studied as functions of the annealing temperatures between 400 and 800 °C. The insertion of a thin Os layer into the FePt and Si(100) interface results in better thermal stability. No diffusion evidence was found in samples with an Os underlayer for annealing temperatures up to 700 °C, as seen from x-ray, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetic studies. We have experimentally demonstrated that the Os underlayer can effectively prevent the diffusion of the intermixing between the FePt layer and the Si(100) substrate for temperatures up to 700 °C. As a result of this study, the Os has potential to be a better diffusion barrier to prevent the diffusion of the FePt film on a Si(100) substrate from forming an ordered face centered tetragonal (fct) L10 hard magnetic phase.