Structural characteristics and magnetic properties of Fe-Pd thin films

Fe-30.0 moI%Pd thin films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. The thin films were solution-treated at 1173 K for 60 s in vacuum and subsequently cooled by argon gas flow. The as-deposited thin films possess ultra-fine grains resulting in a long-range disorder structure. After the heat treatment, (gamma Fe, Pd) phase with an fcc structure is re-crystallized and the crystallized thin films show the texture orientation with (111) and (100) planes parallel to the surfaces of the thin films. Magnetic properties of the thin films are also affected by the crystal structure and grain size. The rectangularity of the hysteresis loop has been improved in the solution-treated thin films.