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Changes in Stress and Microstructure in PtMn/CoFe Bilayers during Annealing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2011

S.P. Bozeman ,
B.J. Daniels  and
D.J. Larson
S.P. Bozeman
Affiliation:
Seagate Recording Heads, 7801 Computer Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55435-5489
B.J. Daniels
Affiliation:
Seagate Recording Heads, 7801 Computer Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55435-5489
D.J. Larson
Affiliation:
Seagate Recording Heads, 7801 Computer Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55435-5489
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Abstract

PtMn is one of several candidate antiferromagnetic materials for biasing of spin valve giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors used in magnetic recording heads. The as-deposited crystal structure of PtMn is face-centered cubic, which is not antiferromagnetic, and it is commonly annealed to transform it to the ordered face-centered tetragonal structure, which is antiferromagnetic. The changes in the thin film stress during this transformation can be up to 1.5 GPa in magnitude. In this work, the stresses in sputter-deposited, PtMn/CoFe bilayers were measured during annealing using a laser-based wafer curvature technique. During annealing, the stress initially increases before approaching a constant level. This behavior was examined for samples with a range of PtMn compositions and varying degrees of PtMn {111} texture. Both the magnitude and rate of change of the stress are sensitive to the composition of the films, but are relatively insensitive to the film texture. These results are discussed in terms of the binary alloy phase diagram.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 615: Symposium G – Polycrystalline Metal & Magnetic Thin Films - 2000 , 2000 , G5.6.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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