RECENT NEW EXPERIMENTS IN MAGNETIC THIN-FILM FABRICATION - PLASMA NITRIDING AND SAW EXCITING SUBSTRATE

The physical properties of plasma and their effects on film structure such as phase and morphology are discussed based on the results of plasma diagnosis for plasma evaporation and sputtering, respectively. alpha''-Fe16N2 films, as an example, are systematically synthesized by using the above two independent methods and the degree of nitriding process of Fe atoms is discussed in connection with the results of plasma diagnosis. A new thin film fabrication technique which uses a substrate excited by surface acoustic wave (SAW) is proposed. The structural and magnetic behaviours of ultrathin metallic films are discussed in connection with the intrinsic film growth mode evaluated from the propagation properties of SAW during the film deposition. Metallic multilayers, Co/Cu, are formed as a function of oscillation amplitude of SAW and the GMR effect is discussed in connection with the change of interface conditions.