Magnetoelastic characterization of thin films dedicated to magnetomechanical microsensor applications

This paper discusses the results of measurements on the saturation magnetostriction constant lambda(6), magnetoelastic coupling coefficient b(y,2) and magnetostriction strain coefficient d for Ni-evaporated and Fe70B20Si6C4-sputtered thin films on silicon and mica substrates. These results are presented in correlation with other magnetic properties (i.e., saturation magnetization, Curie temperature and anisotropy field) which characterize magnetoelastic sensing applications. We have demonstrated that the relevant properties of the magnetoelastic media used for magnetomechanical microsensors can be considerably improved by using amorphous Fe-metalloid thin films sputtered onto a silicon substrate in comparison with conventional magnetostrictive thin films evaporated onto silicon and mica substrates. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.