Microstructures of Ta-Inserted SmCo5/Fe Nanocomposite Thick Film Magnets

Ta-inserted SmCo5/Fe nanocomposite thick lm magnets were synthesized by high-speed pulsed laser deposition followed by pulse annealing. The microstructures of the lm magnets were characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The as-deposited thick lm possessed a multilayered Sm-Co/Ta/α-Fe/Ta structure with amorphous Sm-Co layers and [110]-oriented crystalline α-Fe layers. After pulse annealing, many ne grains of Laves phase TaCo2 were formed, and then the multilayered structure was converted to a granular nanocomposite thick lm magnet composed of ne crystalline grains of Sm(Co, Fe)5, α-(Fe, Co), and TaCo2. The volume fractions and grain sizes of hard magnetic Sm(Co, Fe)5, soft magnetic α-(Fe, Co), and TaCo2 were controlled by the thicknesses of the Ta layer, producing a nanocomposite thick lm magnet with good exchange coupling. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.M2017035]