Magnetic properties and high frequency characteristics of FeCoN thin films

(Fe65Co35)N soft magnetic thin films were prepared by reactive RF magnetron sputtering with the sputtering power of 100 W on thermally oxidized Si substrate in various nitrogen partial pressures (PN2). A strong uniaxial in-plane magnetic anisotropy with the easy-axis coercive field as low as 1∼2 Oe was observed in films grown at PN2 in the range from 3.3% to 5.5%. The saturation magnetizations for those films were about 20 KG. Outside this range, almost isotropic magnetization curves were observed. Vector network analyzer and grounded coplanar waveguide were used to measure the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) signals up to 25 GHz. The FMR signals were detected only in anisotropic films and their FMR frequencies were well fit to the Kittel formula. The obtained g-values and damping parameters at magnetic fields >20 kOe for films grown at PN2 of 3.3%, 4.8% and 5.5% were 1.96, 1.86, 1.92 and 0.0055, 0.0047, 0.0046, respectively. This low damping factor qualifies FeCoN thin films for high-frequency applications.