To provide a target with which a layer of a magneto-optical recording medium having improved characteristics can be steadily formed by sputtering and a method of producing the same.
The magneto-optical sputter target has 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 target contains a minimum of the intermetallic compound. The method of producing the sputter target includes a step of 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 a step of 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.
Hajime Asamura
Yutaka Yoshida
Yukio Iwamoto