Biased FeTaC(N) soft underlayers for perpendicular media.

FeTaCN films, prepared by using reactive sputtering, were studied for the application for soft underlayers of perpendicular media. As-deposited FeTaCN nanocrystalline films with a N[SUB2]/Ar ratio of 5% exhibited high saturation moment (B[SUBs] = 1.63 T) and low coercivity (1.4 Oe). IrMn/FeTaCN exchange-biased multilayer films and CoSm/FeTaCN hard-biased films were investigated to control the domain structure and magnetization reversal in FeTaCN films. Exchange bias field is inversely proportional to the thickness of FeTaCN films and reaches 11.4 Oe in the laminated sample of [IrMn (8 mm)/FeTaCN (50 nm)]×4. The interfacial coupling energy between IrMn and FeTaCN is 0.09 erg/cm[SUP2]. The biasing field of CoSm/FeTaCN can reach a maximum value of 10.6 Oe at the FeTaCN thickness of 200 nm. The corresponding interfacial coupling energy of FeTaCN/CoSm is as large as 0.27 erg/cm[SUP2]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]