Fabrication and Magnetic Properties of CoNiAl Ferromagnetic Shape Memory Alloy Thin Films

Abstract

Study o Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs) is an interesting topic of present day research because of their large magnetic field induced shape recovery. They are important materials for the development of sensors and actuator based applications. Attempt for miniaturization of these actuators and sensors have led to the study of thin films. Bulk CoNiAl alloys are promising FSMAs because of their higher ductility and large range of control over the magnetic and structural transformation temperatures. To investigate the physical properties in thin film form we fabricated CoNiAl alloy films by D.C. sputtering method on glass substrates (kept at room temperature) under various conditions. They were annealed in vacuum at 500 0C for 1h. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and ellipsometry. Thickness of the films was found to be lying between 70 and 272 nm. Fine grained microstructure was found for all the deposited films. The transformation temperatures of the samples were taken from the resistivity measurement done between 80 and 350 K. Magnetization measurements were also done between 80 and 400 K by using a vibrating sample magnetometer, but the Curie temperatures of the present films were not found to be below 400 K and magnetoelastic couplings were found to be rather weak.