CoFe single and multi-layer systems are deposited by a radio-frequency sputter process. Thickness, roughness, morphology, texture and internal stress state of the layers are determined by X-ray reflectometry, transmission electron microscopy, and diffraction methods. The texture and the internal stress of the layers depend strongly on the parameters of the sputter process. The magnetic properties of the layers are determined from hysteresis curve measurements and magneto-optical Kerr microscopy. A strong correlation between the texture, the internal stress, and the magnetic properties of the CoFe layers is observed.

Mixed domain states in sputtered Co50Fe50 films were observed by Kerr microscopy. Coexisting domain patterns of different origin were found. Low- and high-pass image filtering in the frequency regime was used to separate the congruently occurring stripe and patched domain patterns from each other. Two mechanisms are responsible for the domain development. Firstly, a magnetoelastically induced magnetic out-of-plane anisotropy component introduced by compressive stress in the films, diminishing with reduced stress amplitude in the films. Differences between calculated and observed occurrence of stripe domains are explained with a thickness dependant stress distribution in the films. Secondly, additional contributions on the domain formation from the microstructure of the films are observed. A (110)-texture, together with the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the films, leads to additional anisotropy components relevant for the domain configuration. Furthermore, grain coarsening with increasing thickness due to columnar growth of the films is observed. The microstructural characteristics lead to a patch-like domain pattern, decreasing in size with film thickness. A direct connection between stress, texture, and microstructure on domain distribution is made.

In this paper, we report on the film texture, microstructure and stress on the magnetic domain structure in Fe/sub 50/Co/sub 50/ films.

For electronic devices thin magnetic single and multi - layers, with a thickness below 2 μm are increasingly used. The magnetic properties of the thin magnetic layers depend on their chemical composition, layer thickness, homogeneity and roughness as well as on the texture and the residual stress state. Layer thickness, homogeneity, roughness, texture and residual stress state essentially are determined by the process parameters of the manufacturing process. Here the dependence of the layer characteristics and their texture and residual stress state on the process parameters sputter power and argon partial pressure is investigated using transmission electron microscopy and diffraction methods and relations between texture and residual stress values of the layers and coercivity are shown.

Texture and residual stresses in thin single FeCo-layers are studied with respect to their dependence on the parameter of the deposition process such as the sputter conditions gas pressure and rf power. Relations between texture and residual stress state and the coercivity of the layers are given.