Magnetic exchange coupling of SmCo thin films

The Cr/SmCo/Cr thin films were prepared on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. The results showed that the magnetic SmCo5 phase forms in samples with low Sm concentration (20.5%) and high Sm concentration (30.7%). Whereas, nonmagnetic SmCo2 phase, which acted as an isolator of magnetic phases and lowered magnetic exchange coupling between SmCo magnetic grains, also formed in samples with high Sm concentration, therefore, it was feasible to decrease the magnetic exchange coupling of SmCo thin films by increasing the Sm concentration.