Ja. Caballero et al., DEPOSITION OF HIGH-QUALITY NIMNSB MAGNETIC THIN-FILMS AT MODERATE TEMPERATURES, Journal of applied physics, 81(6), 1997, pp. 2740-2744
Thin films of the ferromagnetic Heusler alloy NiMnSb, of interest for
magnetic multilayer devices because of their predicted half-metallic (
i.e., 100% spin-polarized) transport properties, have been successfull
y deposited by rf magnetron sputtering from a single composite target.
A novel combination of low argon gas pressure, low deposition rates,
and moderate substrate temperatures (250-350 degrees C) are shown to r
esult in high-quality, low-roughness polycrystalline films of the C1(b
)-type crystal structure, with thicknesses as low as 100 Angstrom, wit
hout the need for any post-deposition annealing. The structural proper
ties of these films, determined by x-ray diffraction and atomic force
microscopy are presented as a function of deposition conditions. The m
agnetic properties and resistivity are consistent with bulk MiMnSb, wh
ich suggests that they will be effective as spin-polarized conducting
layers in multilayer thin-film structures. (C) 1997 American Institute
of Physics.