Patterned films, layered composites formed therewith, and methods of preparation thereof
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsGoran Rasic, Justin Schwartz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides materials exhibiting improved properties arising from a surface treatment thereof. In particular, thin films can be provided with a patterned surface, the patterned thin films exhibiting improved properties such as in relation to coercivity, mechanical coupling, and magnetic coupling. The disclosure further provides layered composites comprising one or more patterned thin films. The disclosure also provides methods of forming patterned thin films.
Claims19
A method for altering a thin film, the method comprising:
- providing the thin film in a non-crystalline form with a substantially flat and non-patterned surface;
- patterning the surface of the non-crystalline thin film;
- and
- crystallizing the thin film with the patterned surface;
- wherein one or more of the following conditions is satisfied:
- the crystallized thin film with the patterned surface exhibits a coercivity value that is less than the coercivity of the starting non-crystalline, non-patterned thin film;
- the crystallized thin film with the patterned surface exhibits mechanical coupling with a further thin film that is improved relative to the mechanical coupling of the further thin film with starting non-crystalline, non-patterned thin film;
- the crystallized thin film with the patterned surface exhibits magnetic coupling with a further thin film that is improved relative to the magnetic coupling of the further thin film with starting non-crystalline, non-patterned thin film.
A thin film comprising one or more of nickel, cobalt, and iron, the thin film having a patterned surface defined by a series of grooves and protrusions, the grooves having an average depth of about 5 nm to about 1 mm, wherein the thin film has an overall thickness of about 2 mm or less.
A layered composite comprising:
- a first thin film attached to a second thin film, wherein the first thin film has a patterned surface defined by a series of grooves and protrusions, the grooves having an average depth of about 5 nm to about 1 mm, and the first thin film has an overall thickness of 2 mm or less.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.