Application of PLD-Fabricated Thick-Film Permanent Magnets

Isotropic Nd-Fe-B thick-film magnets have been prepared using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method with the control of laser energy density (LED) followed by post-annealing. The characteristics of the method are a high deposition rate up to several tens of microns per hour together with a reliability of magnetic properties due to the good transfer of composition from an Nd-Fe-B target to a film. Several micro-machines comprising the isotropic Nd-Fe-B films such as a miniaturized DC motor and a swimming machine in liquid were demonstrated. Furthermore, the deposition of isotropic Nd (or Pr)-Fe-B thick-film magnets on a Si or glass substrate was carried out to apply the films to various micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS). We also introduced the preparation of isotropic Sm-Co, Fe-Pt, and nanocomposite Nd-Fe-B+α-Fe film magnets synthesized using the PLD.