C-axis texture of high-rate-sputtered Nd2Fe14B thin films: independence of sheet texture of Mo underlayer

Abstract In this study, we investigated the effects of the sheet texture of the Mo underlayer on the c -axis texture of the high-rate-sputtered Nd 2 Fe 14 B phase. The magnetic properties revealed that the squareness of the Nd–Fe–B magnetic layer did not depend on the sheet texture of the Mo underlayer but on the substrate temperature: large squareness was obtained when the magnetic layer was sputtered at high substrate temperature above 500 °C. In-plane X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that the intensity of diffraction from the Nd 2 Fe 14 B (410) plane did not depend on the sheet texture of the Mo underlayer but on the substrate temperature: high intensity was obtained when the magnetic layer was sputtered at above 500 °C, which was consistent with magnetic properties. These results support that the c -axis texture of the high-rate-sputtered magnetic layer was driven by the c plane with the lowest surface energy among the crystal planes in the Nd 2 Fe 14 B phase.