L1₀ FePt thin films with [001] crystalline growth fabricated by ZnO addition and rapid thermal annealing

FePt films with a high degree of order S of the L1₀ structure (S > 0.90) and well defined [001] crystalline growth perpendicular to the film plane are fabricated on thermally oxidized Si substrates by the addition of ZnO and a successive rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process. The optimum condition to prepare high-ordering L1₀ FePtZnO films is 20 vol% ZnO addition and 450 °C annealing. The effect of the ZnO additive on the ordering process of the L1₀ FePtZnO films is discussed. In the annealing process, Zn atoms move to the film surface and evaporate. The motion of the Zn atoms accelerates the intergrain exchange and decreases the ordering temperature.