Microstructure and Soft Magnetic Properties of an FeGaYCo Film

Soft magnetic materials are critical for efficient electromagnetic energy conversion, with their development evolving from traditional alloys like ferrites to amorphous/nanocrystalline materials and advanced multi-component alloys. While multi-component alloys address key limitations of prior materials (e.g., low resistivity, poor thermal stability), gaps remain in understanding how preparation parameters regulate the microstructure and properties. This study systematically investigates the effects of sputtering power and substrate temperature on the microstructural evolution and soft magnetic properties of an FeGaYCo film. First, the sputtering power increases from 70 W to 160 W. This adjustment refines grains, promotes crystallization, and drives coercivity (HC) and saturation magnetization (MS) to first decrease then increase —with optimal soft magnetic properties (HC = 5.7 Oe, MS = 1164.3 emu/cm3) being achieved at 100 W. For substrate temperature, increasing the temperature from 25 °C to 100 °C enhances atomic migration (leading to larger grains) but exerts limited influence on the overall number of grains per unit volume; the lowest HC (3.8 Oe) and highest MS (1321.2 emu/cm3) occur at 75 °C. These findings provide theoretical and experimental support for developing a high-performance next-generation soft magnetic film.