Article comprising anisotropic Co-Fe-Cr-N soft magnetic thin films

Abstract

The invention is embodied in an anisotropic, soft magnetic thin film article comprising a cobalt-iron-chromium-nitrogen (Co--Fe--Cr--N) alloy. The thin film is formed such that the alloy has a relatively high saturation magnetization (4.pi.M.sub.s), e.g., greater than approximately 8 kilogauss (kG), a relatively low coercivity (H.sub.c), e.g., less than approximately 2.0 oersteds (Oe), a relatively high squareness ratio (M.sub.r /M.sub.s), e.g., greater than approximately 0.90, and a relatively high anisotropy field (H.sub.k), e.g., greater than approximately 20 Oe, in an as-deposited condition or, alternatively, with a relatively low temperature treatment, e.g., below approximately 300.degree. Celsius. The inventive films are suitable for use in electromagnetic devices, e.g., in microtransformer cores, inductor cores and in magnetic read-write heads.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.