Kerr effect in Dc sputtered Ni thin films deposited on different substrates

Abstract EN

-We have studied the effect of the substrate and thickness on the magnetic properties of Ni thin films.

Series of Ni thin films have been prepared by dc diode sputtering on four different substrates, glass, Si(l 11).

Si(100) and mica; the Ni thickness ranges from about 47 nm to 317 nm.

From X-ray diffraction, we observed that Ni grown on glass has no texture.

On the other hand Ni deposited on Si gets the <111> preferred orientation for all samples.

Kerr effect experiments were done using light of wavelength A = 632.8 nm and a magnetic field varying from 0 to 7 kOe.

Longitudinal and polar Kerr effect measurements have been performed on these samples.

All films exhibit an in-plane anisotropy.

Kerr rotation 0K , coercivity Hc and saturation field Hsa, have been deduced from the hysteresis curves.

These parameters have been studied as a Junction of the substrate, the film thickness, the grain size and the texture.

These experimental results will be interpreted and discussed.

Keywords : Magnetism, thin films, Kerr effect, Nickel, Sputtering