Publications Details
Magnetic Nitride Films for Superconducting Memory Devices
This work investigated pulsed laser deposition of Cr-doped AlN thin films for use as ferromagnetic layers in memory cells for superconducting electronics. The film morphology, crystalline structure, and magnetization were investigated as a function of laser fluence on the target and background N2 pressure during deposition. Higher laser fluence resulted in films composed of a smooth underlayer with a high density of poorly adhered, rough crystallites at the surface. Lower laser fluence reduced the density of surface crystallites significantly. X-ray diffraction showed that films grown at high laser fluence show crystalline peaks associated with AlN. Both types of films showed hysteretic magnetization curves consistent with films grown by other deposition techniques.