Magnetic and structural properties of Fe87Pt13–Al2O3 composite thin films synthesized by solid-state reactions

Abstract

The structural and magnetic properties of Fe₈₇Pt₁₃ films synthesized by solid-state reactions and Fe₈₇Pt₁₃–Al₂O₃ composite films fabricated by aluminothermy are investigated. It is shown that the synthesized samples of both types are characterized by the rotational magnetic anisotropy, when the easy magnetization axis in the film plane can be set by a magnetic field. It is established that the value of rotational magnetic anisotropy in the Fe₈₇Pt₁₃–Al₂O₃ composite films is higher than in the Fe₈₇Pt₁₃ samples by an order of magnitude. The rotational magnetic anisotropy is assumed to be caused by the exchange coupling of the L1₀–FePt phase with the L1₂–Fe₃Pt phase in the Fe₈₇Pt₁₃ films and magnetic iron oxides in the Fe₈₇Pt₁₃–Al₂O₃ samples.