Magnetic properties of Fe-rich Fe–V alloy films

Abstract

Polycrystalline Fe100−xVx with x=0 to 14 at.% V films on a glass substrate were made by the dc magnetron sputtering method. The deposition temperature was 250 °C. The magnetic properties, i.e., saturation magnetization 4πMs, bulk-pinning field for a domain wall Hcw, coercive force Hc, initial permeability μi, maximum permeability μm, saturation magnetostriction λs, and electrical property, such as the electrical resistivity ρ of the Fe–V films, were measured. We find that 4πMs is a decreasing function of x, Hc, and/or Hcw has a minimum at x≈x0=8 at. % V, μi, μm, and/or μc has a maximum at x=x0, λs≈0 at x=x0, and ρ is an increasing function of x. These new magnetic results are consistent with earlier magnetostriction measurements [Jen and Chen, J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 204, 165 (1999)] and theoretical calculations [Ostanin, Staunton, and Razee, Phys. Rev. B 69, 064425 (2004)]. Moreover, all the magnetic features in the x dependence of Hc, Hcw, μi, μm, μc, and λs, respectively, can be explained within the framework of the bulk-pinning (or surface-pinning) and the end-pinning (or nucleation) models. Briefly, the pinning model analysis of the magnetic hysteresis data confirms the inference that near zero λs implies maximal permeabilities and smallest Hc and Hcw. Among all the Fe–V films, the Fe92V8 film has the optimal magnetic and electrical properties for application.