JPH0465805A - Magnetic alloy film - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the film of a magnetic alloy expressed by a chemical formula of FexNyMz (where, M represents at least one or more elements selected out' of metals or metalloids other than iron) to have a highly-saturated magnetic flux density and small coercive force and to be improved in thermal stability by orienting the film surface in the plane (110) of alpha-Fe. CONSTITUTION:In the film of a magnetic alloy expressed by a chemical formula of FexNyMz (where, M represents at least one or more elements selected out of metals or metalloids other than iron), the film is oriented in the plane (110) of alpha-Fe, In addition, the surface of the film is also oriented in the plane (110) of alpha-Fe and plane (200) of gamma-Fe4N and the relative intensity of the X-ray refraction of the plane (110) of alpha-Fe is made larger than that of the X-ray refraction of the plane (200) of gamma'-Fe4N. Or, the magnetic alloy film is formed in such a way that the crystal diameter of the film is made to <=300Angstrom or the atomic percentages expressed by x, y, and z are set to 1<=y<=10, 0.5<=z<=10, and x+y+z=100.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a magnetic alloy film for a magnetic device such as a magnetic head, which is particularly suitable for high-density magnetic recording.

(Prior art) In recent years, the need for higher density and wider band magnetic recording has increased, and high-density magnetic recording has been achieved by narrowing the recording track width by using magnetic materials with high coercive force in magnetic recording media. Achieving regeneration. A magnetic alloy with a high saturation magnetic flux density Bs is required as a magnetic head material for recording and reproducing on magnetic recording media with high coercive force, and sendust alloys and amorphous alloys are used as part of the core. Alternatively, a magnetic head used for all has been proposed.

However, as the coercive force of magnetic recording media continues to increase,
When the coercive force of the magnetic recording medium exceeds 20,000 e, it becomes difficult to perform good magnetic recording and reproduction with a magnetic head using Sendust alloy or an amorphous alloy.

Also, a perpendicular magnetization recording method has been proposed in which the magnetic recording medium is magnetized in the thickness direction rather than in the longitudinal direction. The thickness of the magnetic head must be 0.5 μm or less, and a magnetic alloy for a magnetic head with a high saturation magnetic flux density is required even for recording on a magnetic recording medium with a relatively low coercive force.

Iron nitride, Fe-
Magnetic alloys containing iron as a main component, such as 5i-based alloys, are known.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, conventionally known magnetic alloys with high saturation magnetic flux density have a large coercive force Hc and are insufficient as materials for magnetic heads as they are. A magnetic head with a multilayer structure using a magnetic material with a low coercive force such as Permalloy or Permalloy as an interlayer film has been proposed.

However, creating a multilayer structure requires a lot of man-hours and costs, and it is difficult to maintain reliability. In particular, in order to obtain a film thickness of several μm or more, it may be necessary to
It required a multilayer structure with more than one layer, and its range of use was also limited.

In order to solve this problem, the present inventors have developed Fe-N-
Although it was proposed that a single-layer magnetic alloy with high Bs and low Hc could be obtained by using a zero alloy, there was a problem that it was not suitable for the glass molding process from the viewpoint of thermal stability.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic alloy that has a high saturation magnetic flux density without having a multilayer structure, has a small coercive force, and has excellent thermal stability.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a magnetic alloy film represented by the composition formula Fe)(NyMz, in which the film surface is α-Fe. A magnetic alloy film oriented in the (110) plane (where M is at least one element selected from metals or semimetals other than iron) or a magnetic alloy film expressed by the composition formula FexNYM2 , the film plane is the (110) plane of a-Fe and the 7'-
It is oriented on the (200) plane of Fe4N, and the (200) plane of a-Fe is oriented.
The relative intensity of X-ray diffraction of the (110) plane of γ′-Fe4N is
200) a magnetic alloy film larger than the relative intensity of X-ray diffraction of the plane (where M is at least one element selected from metals or semimetals other than iron) or the crystal grain size of the magnetic alloy film is 300A or less, or the atomic % represented by x, y, z is ■≦y≦10 0.5≦Z≦10 x The present invention provides magnetic alloy films according to claims 1 to 3 in which +y +z = 100.

(Example) When forming a Fe-N-M alloy film (M is at least one element of a metal or metalloid other than iron), the crystal structure and orientation plane may vary depending on the film forming conditions and heat treatment temperature. The orientation is different, and the magnetic properties are also different depending on this. Here, when the ratio of the relative diffraction intensity of a certain plane orientation to the relative diffraction intensity of another plane orientation is clearly larger than the theoretically calculated ratio, it is assumed that the plane is oriented in that plane orientation.

At least one of the metals or metalloids other than nitrogen and iron
It shows the characteristics of crystal grain size and coercive force (Hc) when the type and amount of M, which is an element with more than one type, is changed.

FIG. 1(a) is an X-ray diffraction pattern diagram of this sample 1, which has the alloy composition of sample number 1 shown in the table above, and as is clear from this figure, in this sample 1, α-Fe
The coercive force Hc at this time is as large as 100 e.

On the other hand, the alloy composition of sample number 2 is shown in Figure 1 (
b) is oriented in the (110) plane of a-Fe, Hc at this time is 0.30e, and good magnetic properties are obtained.

Furthermore, as is clear from the table above, FIG. 1(c) shows that
It is an X-ray diffraction pattern diagram after an alloy composition of Fe9□N6S12 is heat-treated at 450°C, and according to this,
It is oriented on the (110) plane of α-Fe, and γ′-F
A diffraction peak appears on the (200) plane of e4N.

: (7) In (c), (200) of 7'-Fe4N
The relative strength of the surface is very weak, or theoretically calculated γF e4
The relative strength of N (ill) is (2
00), so in (C) it can be said that 7'-Fe4N is clearly oriented in the (200) plane.

Figure 1 (d) corresponds to the alloy composition of sample number 5 in the table above.
), α-Fe is oriented in the (110) plane, but γ′-Fe4N is oriented in the (ill) plane. Hc at this time is as large as 40e.

Next, FIG. 1(e) shows, as is clear from the above table,
It is an X-ray diffraction pattern diagram after an alloy composition of Fe, 2N6S12 is heat-treated at 600°C, and according to this,
It is oriented in the (200) plane of 7'-Fe4N, but γ'
-F e4 N The relative intensity of X-ray diffraction of the (200) plane is greater than the relative intensity of the α-F e (110) plane,
Furthermore, the crystal grain size has become larger, and the Hc at this time is also 30
e and large.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between nitrogen content and saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) in Fe--N alloys.

As this figure shows, when the nitrogen content is 10 at%, B
A high Bs magnetic alloy with a Bs of 15 kG or more was obtained. It is something that can be done.

Similarly, when the M content is greater than or equal to the original atomic weight of 1O, a magnetic alloy with high Bs can be obtained. (M is at least one element selected from metals or metalloids other than iron) Also, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-35762, Fe-N-M alloy In this case, when M is less than 0.5 at %, the effect of M is not added, and when it is contained at 0.5 at % or more, thermal stability is improved.

Therefore, excellent magnetic properties can be obtained when M is 0.5 to 10 atomic %.

Note that when the nitrogen content is less than 1 atomic %, no significant effect of nitrogen can be obtained, and orientation toward the α-Fe (110) plane cannot be obtained.

(Effects of the Invention) As described in detail above, the magnetic alloy film of the present invention has high saturation magnetic flux density, low coercive force, and excellent thermal stability, making it suitable for use in magnetic devices such as magnetic heads. An alloy is obtained.

Therefore, by using the magnetic alloy film of the present invention, it is possible to perform good recording and reproduction on a high coercive force medium, and also to produce a high-performance thin film magnetic head, etc., and realize high-density magnetic recording and reproduction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an X-ray diffraction pattern diagram of samples with different alloy compositions, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between nitrogen content and saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) in an Fe--N alloy film. Patent applicant Representative of Victor Japan Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

Claims: (1) A magnetic alloy film represented by the composition formula Fe_XN_YM_Z, characterized in that the film surface is oriented in the (110) plane of α-Fe. (However, M is at least one element selected from metals or semimetals other than iron.) (2) In a magnetic alloy film represented by the composition formula Fe_XN_YM_Z, the film surface is α-Fe ( 110) plane and the (200) plane of γ′-Fe4N, α-F
The relative intensity of X-ray diffraction of the (110) plane of e is γ'-Fe4
A magnetic alloy film characterized in that the relative intensity of X-ray diffraction of the (200) plane of N is greater than that of the (200) plane. (However, M is at least one element selected from metals or metalloids other than iron) (3) Claims 1 and 2 in which the crystal grain size of the magnetic alloy film is 300 Å or less The magnetic alloy film described in section 2. (4) The magnetic alloy film according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the atomic % represented by x, y, and z is 1≦y≦10 0.5≦z≦10 x+y+z=100.