Soft ferromagnetic materials based on iron/carbon multilayers

Multilayer thin films consisting of alternating iron and carbon layers were deposited from a pulsed cathodic arc with magnetic filter to remove macroparticles. The magnetic moment of the films was measured as a function of applied field for various repeat distances of the multilayer. The films were ferromagnetic and, at one repeat distance, showed very low coercivity and a small-area hysteresis loop. The films were examined using cross-section transmission electron microscopy. For the magnetically very soft films, single iron crystallites were found to cross the entire film thickness. The carbon layers may contribute to the magnetic properties by paramagnetic coupling of the spins known to be present. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.