MAGNETIC INVESTIGATION OF THE COLUMNAR GRAIN-STRUCTURE OF FE1-X-COX (X = 0-1) FILMS DEPOSITED OBLIQUELY BY THERMAL EVAPORATION

The columnar grain structure in obliquely deposited Fe1-x-Co, (x = 0-1) films has been investigated magnetically by measuring the effective anisotropy field and the effective saturation magnetization. Films were vapor-deposited at an incidence angle of 65-degrees from normal on glass substrates kept at 473 K. The packing of the columnar grains was found to be sparse in the x range from 0.02 to 0.77, where the columnar grains clearly exhibit the {100} crystal habit. The columnar grains align in the direction perpendicular to the incidence plane for all compositions. The degree of alignment depends on the kind of texture. The crystallographic contribution to the formation of the columnar grain structure is discussed.