Role of the underlying layer in crystalline structure and magnetic properties of Mn-Sb-Bi thin film

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 493; no. 1-2; pp. 212 - 220
• Main Authors: KANG, K, PETFORD-LONG, A. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier Science 22.12.2005
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Inorganic compounds; Nucleation; 75.70 Mn-Sb-Bi; Interdiffusion; Sputtering; Thin films; Cathode sputtering; Coercive force; Thermal annealing; Radiofrequency sputtering; Magnetic properties; Grain size; Magnetization; Antimony alloys; Crystallization; 75.50.Cc; Magnetic hysteresis; Experimental study; Columnar structure; Magnetrons; Transmission electron microscopy; Solid solutions; Anisotropy; Manganese alloys; Bismuth alloys; 61.10.-1; Transition element alloys; Bilayers
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.07.207

Mn-Sb-Bi thin films were grown by deposition of Mn onto the annealed Sb/Bi bilayer. Changes in the morphology and structure of the films both as-sputtered and after annealing at 623 K for 5 h were observed. Annealing the Sb/Bi bilayer causes the Sb-Bi alloy with enlarged grains. Annealing Mn/(Sb-Bi) films shows a relatively high saturation magnetization, a small in-plane coercivity. The existence of the (001) orientation in the as-sputtered film produced by the intermediate annealing results in the better (001) orientation of the NiAs-type Mn-Sb-Bi phase in an annealed Mn/(Sb-Bi) thin film. The film shows the existence of the perpendicular anisotropy component.