Microstructure and magnetic properties of aerosol-deposited Sm-Fe-N thick films

In this study, the relationship among magnetic properties, Aerosol Deposition (AD) conditions, and microstructures in Sm-Fe-N AD films was investigated. The maximum thickness of 145 mu m was obtained under AD conditions of gas flow rate (gfr) = 6 liters/min for 10 min. The density of Sm-Fe-N films was in the range of 5.43 to 6.24 g/cm(3), that is, 71 to 81% of the X-ray density of the Sm2Fe17N3 compound reported (7.67 g/cm(3)). The Sm-Fe-N AD films showed remanence in the range of 0.38 to 0.42 T, that is, 61 to 68% of that of the Sm-Fe-N host powder (0.62 T). The coercivities increased from 1.16 to between 1.74 and 1.79 T after the deposition because the grain size decreased from 1.94 mu m to 0.32 mu m. (C) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.