Pulsed‐laser deposition of magnetic alloys

Targets of SmCo₅ and Pr₂Fe₁₇ are ablated with a quadrupled Nd:YAG pulsed laser operating at 266 nm with fluence levels of ≊2 J cm⁻². The plasmas are condensed on r‐plane sapphire (Al₂O₃) maintained either at ambient room temperature of ≊400 °C. Preliminary results indicate that Sm⁺ⁿ and Co⁺ⁿ recombine on room temperature substrates to form an alloy with a‐axis orientation that is consistent with an hkl〈200〉 d‐spacing for hexagonal SmCo₅. Rare‐earth and Fe plasmas condense at ≊400 °C to form alloys with c‐axis orientation as indicated by a single narrow hkl〈006〉 reflection with a HHFW of about Δ(2θ)=0.4°. When codeposited with N₂, an interstitial alloy Re₂Fe₁₇N_3−δ can be formed. These newly discovered metastable alloys display high Curie temperatures (T_c), large magnetization and anisotropy fields desirable for permanent magnet applications. Preliminary XRD, (SQUID) magnetometry and Auger surveys are presented together with speculation about future work.