Structural, magnetic and electrical properties of nickelthin films deposited on Si (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition.

Nickel thin films have been deposited on silicon (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition at various substrate temperatures, Ts, in the range 100 - 700 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms nickel phases are present for Ts in the range 100 - 300 °C, while above 500 °C Ni-Si phases were observed. The grain size and roughness of thin films were in the range 30 nm - 590 nm and 4.3 - 15.7 nm respectively for thickness of the films is in the range 45 nm - 100 nm. Systematic variation with Ts was found for these morphological parameters, as well as the ratio of the remnant to saturation magnetic moment, magnetic coercivity and magnetoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]