FERROMAGNETIC-RESONANCE IN NI FILMS BIASED DC SPUTTER-DEPOSITED ON MGO(001)

Ferromagnetic resonance measurement at X band is carried out at room temperature to investigate the mechanical and magnetic properties of Ni films 180 nm thick deposited on MgO(001) substrates at 280 degrees C by biased direct current plasma sputtering at 2.5 kV in Ar gas. A negative bias voltage V-s of 0, -80 and -140 V is applied to the substrate during the deposition. The homogeneous intrinsic stress sigma(i) induced in the films is compressive (sigma(i)<0) at any V-s and its value is independent of V-s. The magnetic anisotropies due to the anisotropic planar stress sigma(u) induced during the film formation and due to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy K-1f of the epitaxial Ni crystal are mutually superimposed in the film plane. sigma(u) is very weak, i.e., \sigma(u)\much less than\sigma(i)\, to reduce nearly to zero as V-s reaches -140 V. Although the magnitude of K-1f gradually increases as V-s increases, it is about 10(-1) that of K-1 for bulk Ni. The g factor is evaluated at 2.11 independently of V-s. (C) 1995 American Vacuum Society.