Anomalous Hall effect and magnetoresistance of (FexSn1−x)1−y(SiO2)y films

Abstract

Structural, magnetic and transport properties were investigated for heterogeneous (FexSn1−x)1−y(SiO2)y films deposited on oxidized silicon substrates at room temperature with RF magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction indicated that the films consist of a nanocrystalline phase of FeSn2 embedded into an amorphous background. For (FexSn1−x)92.33(SiO2)7.67, it was demonstrated that with the increase in the Fe component an evolution from negative isotropic magnetoresistance (MR) behaviour to one with a mixture of anisotropic magnetoresistance and isotropic negative MR occurs. On fixing the SiO2 percentage and decreasing the Fe–Sn ratio, the negative transverse MR first increases and then decreases. For samples having a fixed Fe–Sn ratio, the negative transverse MR increases with the increase in SiO2. Compared with the Fe–Sn system, the addition of 7.67 at.% SiO2 enhances the saturated Hall resistivity. Further increase in SiO2 introduces a complicated saturated Hall resistivity dependence on the concentration of SiO2.