Local and medium range order influence on the magnetic behavior of sputtered Ga-Rich FeGa thin films Articles uri icon

publication date

  • May 2019

start page

  • 13131

end page

  • 13135

issue

  • 20

volume

  • 123

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1932-7447

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1932-7455

abstract

  • We have investigated the influence of the growth power on the structural properties of Fe100-xGax (x ca. 29) films sputtered in the ballistic regime in the oblique incidence. By means of different structural characterizations, mainly X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we have reached a deeper understanding about the influence of the local and medium range order on the magnetic behavior of Ga-rich FeGa thin films. On the one hand, the increase of the growth power reduces the crystallite size (medium order) that promotes the decrease of the coercive field of the layers. On the other hand, the growth power also determines the local order as it controls the formation of the A2, B2, and D03 structural phases. The increase of the uniaxial in-plane magnetic anisotropy with growth power has been correlated with the enhancement of both Ga pairs and a tetragonal distortion. The results presented in this work give more evidence about the magnetic anisotropy sources in Ga-rich FeGa alloys, and therefore, it helps to understand how to achieve a better control of the magnetic properties in this family of alloys.

subjects

  • Materials science and engineering
  • Physics

keywords

  • thin films; layers; magnetic properties; power; order