Cathode sputtered permalloy films of high anisotropic magnetoresistive effect

The anisotropic magnetoresistive effect of dc-sputtered Ni 81% - Fe 19% films has been increased up to Δρ/ρ = 3.93% at 50 nm thickness. Investigations have been concentrated on the influence of the target current, the target-substrate-distance, and of the temperature of both target and substrate material. As a function of the applied magnetic bias field, the easy-axis coercivity of the permalloy film is between 100A/m and 200A/m due to induced anisotropy. The dc magnetization curves represent an almost ideal Stoner-Wohlfarth behaviour