Buffer Layer Effects on the Structure and Morphology of SmCo/Cu Thin Films

In this paper, we investigated the structure of SmCo films with different thickness and the effects of Cr buffer layer on the structure and morphology of SmCo/Cu thin films. Our data revealed that the magnetic properties of the samples were enhanced by the crystallization of SmCo which was promoted by the optimized Cu underlayers. We also found that the surface roughness can be decreased by Cr layer and the texture can be improved by prolonging the annealing time for thick SmCo film. Thus, we concluded that the magnetic properties of SmCo/Cu films can be further optimized by varying the thickness of Cr buffer layers.