Anisotropic Pr-Fe-B thin films with perpendicular texture have been prepared by magnetron sputtering and subsequent heat treatment. After crystallization at $873\mathrm{K}$, the films deposited at $773\mathrm{K}$ show a perpendicular anisotropic texture, due to the existence of a weak anisotropy in the as-deposited films. The deposition rate has been proved to be an important parameter for the control of microstructure, morphology, and coercivity. The coercivity mechanism of the anisotropic Pr-Fe-B films has been studied by analyzing the temperature dependence of coercivity from $5\text{to}300\mathrm{K}$, based on the micromagnetic model. Nucleation of reversed domains, taking place preferentially at the grain surface where the magnetic anisotropy is reduced and the local demagnetization field is the highest, is determined to be the leading mechanism in controlling the magnetization reversal processes of the anisotropic Pr-Fe-B films. Though the grains in the films are strongly magnetically coupled, the magnetization reversal processes in the Pr-Fe-B thin films are not realized by uniform rotations of the magnetic moments.

• Received 26 June 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.72.224419