Magneto-optical alloy sputter targets

摘要

A magneto-optical sputter target having a composition comprising at least one rare earth element and at least one transition metal, with a structure which includes a transition metal constituent and a finely mixed alloy constituent of a rare earth phase and a rare earth/transition metal intermetallic compound. The structure of the present target contains a minimum of the intermetallic compound. A method of producing the present sputter target includes mixing particles of the transition metal constituent (preferably only alloyed transition metals) with particles of the finely mixed alloy to produce a powder blend and subjecting the powder blend to a pressing operation in an oxidizing inhibiting environment for a time and at a temperature and pressure which minimizes the rare earth/transition metal intermetallic compound content of the target.