Sumitomo Metal Mining Company, Ltd.

Toshio Morimoto

Shinobu Endo

Tasuo Nate

Tetsufumi Komukai

Masanori Takagi

Isao Ando

Tatsuya Takahashi

Yasuhiro Okajima

Tatsuo Nate

Kouichi Oka

Yasuhiro Tsugita

Eriko Sato

Keizo Kazama

Hirotaka Minami

Provided are a method for producing a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder, by which a high quality Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder to be produced readily; a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder; a method for producing a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target; and a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target. Specifically, a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder is produced by stirring a mixed powder containing a Cu powder and a Ga in a mass ratio of 85:15 to 55:45 at a temperature of 30 to 700&#xb0; C. in an inert atmosphere thereby accomplishing alloying. Also a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target is produced by molding the Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder followed by sintering.

Method for producing Cu-Ga alloy powder, Cu-Ga alloy powder, method for producing Cu-Ga alloy sputtering target, and Cu-Ga alloy sputtering target

An alloy target used for manufacturing a magneto-optical recording medium, wherein the component and composition comprises 10-50 atom % of at least one of rare earth elements selected from the group consisting of Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm, from 0.1 to 10 atom % of at least one of additive elements selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Si, P, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Pb and Bi and the balance substantially composed of at least one of transition metals selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe and Ni; and a structure comprises any one of mixed structure from a group consisting of (1) a mixed structure comprising a phase of intermetallic compound of rare earth element--additive element--transition metal, and a fine mixed phase of rare earth element and intermetallic compound of rare earth element--transition metal, (2) a mixed structure comprising a phase of intermetallic compound of rare earth element--transition metal and a fine mixed phase of rare earth element and intermetallic compound of rare earth element--transition metal (at least one of the rare earth element and the intermetallic compound in the fine mixed phase contains additive element); (3) a mixed phase comprising a phase of intermetallic compound of rare earth element--transition metal and a phase of intermetallic compound of rare earth element--additive element; (4) a mixed structure comprising any one of the mixed structures (1), (2) and (3) above and a phase of rare earth element alone; and (5) a mixed structure of any one of the mixed structures comprising a phase of intermetallic compound of rare earth element--additive element--transition metal, and a phase of rare earth element alone; in which the phase of the transition metal alone is not substantially present.

Alloy target used for manufacturing magneto-optical recording medium

An alloy target for magneto-optical recording having component and composition comprising 10 to 50 atom % of at least one rare earth element from Sm, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm and Er, the balance being substantially at least one transition metal from Co, Fe and Ni, and having a mixed structure comprising a phase of intermetallic compound of the rare earth element and the transition metal and a fine mixed phase of the rare earth element and intermetallic compound of the rare earth element and the transition metal or having a mixed structure comprising the structure above and a phase of the rare earth element alone. The target has uniform composition and high strength free from cracking, etc., shows less composition difference between film and target and less change of the film composition with elapse of sputtering time.

Alloy target for magneto-optical recording

An alloy target for making a magneto-optical recording medium by sputtering comprises an alloy containing 10 to 50 atom % of at least one rare earth element selected from among Sm, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm and Er, with a balance consisting substantially of at least one transition metal selected from among Co, Fe and Ni. The alloy has a mixed structure composed of at least three phases of intermetallic compounds formed by the rare earth element and the transition metal.

Alloy target for manufacturing a magneto-optical recording medium

An alloy target for making a magneto-optical recording medium by sputtering comprises an alloy containing 10 to 50 atom % of at least one rare earth element selected from among Sm, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Tm and Er, with a balance consisting substantially of at least one transition metal selected from among Co, Fe and Ni. The alloy has a mixed structure composed of at least one phase of an intermetallic compound formed by the rare earth element and the transition metal and a phase of the rare earth element along.

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Ichikawa, Japan

Toshio Morimoto