Structural, Magnetic And Electrical Properties Of Nickelthin Films Deposited On Si (100) Substrates By Pulsed Laser Deposition

Nickel thin films have been deposited on silicon (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition at various substrate temperatures, T-s, in the range 100 - 700 degrees C. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms nickel phases are present for T-s in the range 100 - 300 degrees C, while above 500 degrees C Ni-Si phases were observed. The grain size and roughness of thin films were in the range 30 nm - 590 nm and 4.3 - 15.7 nm respectively for thickness of the films is in the range 45 nm - 100 nm. Systematic variation with T-s was found for these morphological parameters, as well as the ratio of the remnant to saturation magnetic moment, magnetic coercivity and magnetoresistance.