Atomic ordering kinetics of FePt thin films:: Nucleation and growth of L10 ordered domains

To lower the L1(0) ordering temperature of FePt thin films, a detailed understanding of the nucleation and growth processes of L1(0) ordered domains is of particular importance. In the present study, a nucleation activation energy E-n=(0.5-0.6)+/- 0.1 eV and a growth activation energy E-g=0.9 +/- 0.1 eV for the L1(0) ordered domains in the FePt thin films are determined by studying the individual annealing-temperature dependence of the nucleation and growth parameters of the L1(0) ordered domains. These data make a contribution to the understanding of the high L1(0) ordering temperature of FePt thin films for manufacturing magnetic recording media. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.