Method for producing uniaxial tetragonal thin films of ternary intermetallic compounds

Abstract

A method for making oriented thin films of a ternary intermetallic compound and such films having a tetragonal structure and generally uniaxial magnetic, optical, electronic, and mechanical properties, as well as a generally lower Curie temperature than oriented binary intermetallic films. The steps of the method involve selecting a substrate material for biasing the orientation of the ternary intermetallic compound and exhibiting no chemical reactiveness to the ternary intermetallic compound. Preferably, such substrate is a single crystal, such as MgO or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, or an amorphous material such as pure SiO.sub.2, amorphous carbon, or glass. In a second step the substrate is heated to a temperature above 450.degree. C. and then, a first metal, a second metal, and a third metal are simultaneously deposited on the substrate material. The first metal and second metal are selected from among metals pairs including CoNi, CoFe, FeNi, and the third metal is selected from the group of metals consisting of Pd and Pt. The thin film formed is a ternary intermetallic compound exhibiting an L1.sub.0 crystal structure and the desired uniaxial properties. The method of the invention allows one to accurately control the relative amounts of the three metals.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.