Abstract
We investigated growth, annealing conditions and magnetic properties of the Heusler alloy Fe2+xVyAl by means of x-ray diffraction, magnetic hysteresis and exchange-bias measurements. Ferromagnetic Heusler alloy films were obtained by sputtering Fe2VAl and Fe3VAl targets and performing post-growth annealing. The characteristic (2 2 0) Heusler alloy peaks were seen in the x-ray diffraction measurements and corresponding ferromagnetic behaviours were observed. In addition, antiferromagnetic Heusler alloy films were deposited by employing Al pegs on Fe3VAl sputtering targets. The deposited films had elemental ratios close to the predicted Fe2.5V0.5Al phase, and a 16 Oe exchange-bias was measured in a Fe2.3V0.7Al/Co60Fe40 system at 100 K.
Highlights
Antiferromagnetism has been studied both theoretically and experimentally especially over the last few decades since the discovery of giant magnetoresistence (GMR) [1]
For the Fe2VAl Heusler alloy, several inconsist encies are observed in the measurements and the predictions of transport and magnetic properties
A systematic study of structural and magnetic properties was performed on Fe2+xVyAl layers deposited by sputtering Fe2VAl and Fe3VAl targets with Al dopant pegs
Summary
Antiferromagnetism has been studied both theoretically and experimentally especially over the last few decades since the discovery of giant magnetoresistence (GMR) [1]. AF in the direction of the applied magnetic field is caused by the exchange coupling induced at the interface between the AF and the FM [4] This shift has been used to pin the magnet isation of FM thin films and the effect has been implemented extensively in spin valve structures [5]. For the Fe2VAl Heusler alloy, several inconsist encies are observed in the measurements and the predictions of transport and magnetic properties. The calculations were compared to magnetic measurements of D03type Fe2VAl which provided further evidence for the magnetic prop erties being dependent on the atomic disorder in the lattice sites. The chemical composition analysis by ICPOES was performed by InterTek Ltd. For the ICPOES measurements, samples consisted of 100 nmthick films were deposited on glass substrates. The EDX analysis was performed using a Thermo Scientific EDX unit attached to FEI Sirion SFEG/JEOL 7800F Prime scanning electron microscopes
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