Abstract
As-deposited nanocrystalline Fe-Hf-N thin films were investigated to improve soft magnetic properties by controlling thickness of the films. On the XRD analysis, the strain of a-Fe was due to the incorporation of interstitial nitrogen atoms, which might induce the soft magnetic properties. However, the poorer magnetic properties of 1.1-um FeHfN film was attributed to the stripe domain structure, for the higher residual stress of 1.1-um FeHN film produced stress-induced anisotropy Nevertheless, the residual stress decreased with increasing thickness of the films. Thus, the striped domain structure disappeared in both 3.3-um and 5.5-um thick FeHfN. The 5.5-um thick nanocrystalline FeHfN film exhibited high magnetization (4πMs ~ 16.9 kG) and lower coercivity(HC < 1 Oe). The superior soft magnetic properties show the potential application of this films for power inductor.