Magnetic film forming method

• US 6,210,544 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Yoshito
• Primary Examiner(s): PIANALTO, BERNARD D
• Application Number:
  US09/496,163
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.2, 204/192.11, 204/192.15, 204/192.22, 204/192.12, 428/692, 428/694 T, 427/566, 427/576, 427/571, 427/580, 427/599
• US Class Current: 204/192.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3109 Details G11B5/3103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/183 Sputtering targets therefor

Abstract

Disclosed is a magnetic film forming method of forming a magnetic film on a substrate by preparing a material A formed of oxide of an element T of at least one kind of Fe, Co, and Ni and a material B formed of oxide of an element M of at least one kind selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements and making a target by sintering the powders of the material A and the material B or preparing the material A formed of oxide of the element T of at least one kind of Fe, Co, and Ni, the material B formed of oxide of the element M of at least one kind selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements and a material C formed of an element S of at least one kind of Fe, Co, and Ni and making a target by sintering the powders of the material A, the material B and the material C; disposing the target in a film forming apparatus so that the target confronts a substrate; and forming the magnetic film on the substrate.

Claims

1. A magnetic film forming method, comprising:

a step of preparing a material A formed of oxide of an element T of at least one kind of Fe, Co, and Ni, a material B formed of oxide of an element M of at least one kind selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements and a material C formed of an element S of at least one kind of Fe, Co, and Ni;

a target making step of making a target by sintering the powders of the material A, the material B and the material C;

a disposing step of disposing the target in a film forming apparatus so that the target confronts a substrate; and

a film forming step of forming a magnetic film on the substrate.

2. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 1, comprising a magnetic film composition ratio adjusting step, wherein the composition ratio of the magnetic film is controlled by making the target by adjusting the ratios of the material A, the material B, and the material C and sintering them.

3. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 2, comprising a magnetic film composition ratio adjusting step, wherein the composition ratio of the magnetic film is controlled by adjusting electric power imposed on the target.

4. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic film is formed in an Ar atmosphere at the film forming step.

5. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 2, wherein the film structure of the magnetic film having been formed is such that at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements, amorphous in which oxygen is contained, and a fine crystal phase mainly comprising at least one kind of elements of Fe, Co, and Ni exist in the magnetic film in a mixed state.

6. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 5, wherein the fine crystal phase further contains the oxide of the element M.

7. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 6, wherein the fine crystal phase has an average grain size of 30 nm or less.

8. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 5, wherein the crystal structure of the fine crystal phase mainly comprises the bcc structure.

9. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 5, wherein the crystal structure of the fine crystal phase comprises the mixed structure of at least one kind of a bcc structure, a hcp structure and an fcc structure.

10. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic film is formed of the composition of Fe_aM_bO_c, where M is at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, No, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements and the composition ratios a, b, and c satisfy the relationships of 45≦

a≦

70, 5≦

b≦

30, 10≦

c≦

40, and a+b+c=100 in at %.

11. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic film is formed at the composition ratio of (Co₁₋

dQ_d)_xM_yO_zX_w, where Q is an element containing any one or both of Fe and Ni, M is at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements, X is at least one kind of elements selected from Au, Ag, Cu, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pt, and Pd, and d representing the composition ratio satisfies 0≦

d ≦

0.7, x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships of 3≦

y≦

30, 7≦

z≦

40, 0≦

w≦

20, and 20≦

y+z+w≦

60 in at %, and the balance is x.

12. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 11, wherein d representing the composition ratio of the magnetic film satisfies 0≦

d≦

0.3, x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships of 7≦

y≦

15, 20≦

z≦

35, 0≦

w≦

19, and 30≦

x+y+z≦

50 in at %, and the balance is x.

13. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 11, wherein the element Q is Fe.

14. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 11, wherein the density ratio of Co and Fe is 0.3≦

{Co/(Co +Fe)}≦

0.8.

15. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic film is formed at the composition ratio of (Fe₁₋

eCo_e)_xM_yO₂X_w, where Q is an element containing any one or both of Co and Ni, M is at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements, X is at least one kind of elements selected from Au, Ag, Cu, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pt, and Pd, and e representing the composition ratio satisfies 0≦

e ≦

0.3, x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships of 5≦

y≦

30, 10≦

z≦

40, 0≦

w≦

20, and 20≦

y+z≦

60 in at %, and the balance is x.

16. A magnetic film forming method, comprising:

a step of preparing a material A formed of oxide of an element T of at least one kind of Fe, Co, and Ni and a material B formed of oxide of an element M of at least one kind selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements;

a target making step of making a target by sintering the powders of the material A and the material B;

a disposing step of disposing the target in a film forming apparatus so that the target confronts a substrate; and

a film forming step of forming a magnetic film on the substrate.

17. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, comprising a magnetic film composition ratio adjusting step, wherein the composition ratio of the magnetic film is controlled by making the target by adjusting the ratios of the material A and the material B and sintering them.

18. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, comprising a magnetic film composition ratio adjusting step, wherein the composition ratio of the magnetic film is controlled by adjusting electric power imposed on the target.

19. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic film is formed in an Ar atmosphere at the film forming step.

20. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, wherein the film structure of the magnetic film having been formed is such that at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements, amorphous in which oxygen is contained and a fine crystal phase mainly comprising at least one kind of elements of Fe, Co, and Ni exist in the magnetic film in a mixed state.

21. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 20, wherein the fine crystal phase further contains the oxide of the element M.

22. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 20, wherein the crystal structure of the fine crystal phase comprises the mixed structure of at least one kind of a bcc structure, a hcp structure and an fcc structure.

23. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 20, wherein the crystal structure of the fine crystal phase mainly comprises the bec structure.

24. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 20, wherein the fine crystal phase has an average grain size of 30 nm or less.

25. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic film is formed of the composition of Fe_aM_bO_c, where M is at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements and the composition ratios a, b, and c satisfy the relationships of 45≦

a≦

70, 5≦

b≦

30, 10≦

c≦

40, and a+b+c=100 in at %.

26. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic film is formed at the composition ratio of (Co₁₋

dQ_d)_xM_yO_zX_w, where Q is an element containing any one or both of Fe and Ni, M is at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements, X is at least one kind of elements selected from Au, Ag, Cu, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pt, and Pd, and d representing the composition ratio satisfies 0≦

d ≦

0.7, x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships of 3≦

y≦

30, 7≦

z≦

40, 0≦

w≦

20, and 20≦

y+z+w≦

60 in at %, and the balance is x.

27. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 26, wherein d representing the composition ratio of the magnetic film satisfies 0≦

d≦

0.3, x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships of 7≦

y≦

15, 20≦

z≦

35, 0≦

w≦

19, and 30≦

x+y+z≦

50 in at %, and the balance is x.

28. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 26, wherein the element Q is Fe.

29. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 26, wherein the density ratio of Co and Fe is 0.3≦

{Co/(Co +Fe)}≦

0.8.

30. A magnetic film forming method according to claim 16, wherein the magnetic film is formed at the composition ratio of (Fe₁₋

eCo_e)_xM_yO_zX_w, where Q is an element containing any one or both of Co and Ni, M is at least one kind of elements selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Si, P, C, W, B, Al, Ga, Ge, and rare earth elements, X is at least one kind of elements selected from Au, Ag, Cu, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pt, and Pd, and e representing the composition ratio satisfies 0≦

e≦

0.3, x, y, z, and w satisfy the relationships of 5≦

y≦

30, 10≦

z≦

40, 0≦

w≦

20, and 20 ≦

y+z≦

60 in at %, and the balance is x.