Structural and magnetic properties of granular Co-Ag thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

An investigation of microstructural properties of CoxAg1-x films grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition, as a function of deposition and post-deposition annealing temperature, is reported. Surface morphology and microstructure were investigated by XPS, X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM measurements. Information on particle size distributions has been extracted from the analysis of the temperature dependence of the irreversible magnetization. Depending on cobalt content, deposition and post-deposition annealing temperature, the maximum of the Co grain size distribution was estimated to be in the range 2 - 6 nm.