STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF GRANULAR CR100-XFEX

Granular films of Cr-Fe have been prepared by d.c. magnetron sputterin g over the Cr content range 10-90 at.%, on both heated and water-coole d substrates. Transmission electron microscopy studies, used for the m icrostructural characterization of the samples, show a composition-dep endent grain size, in the range 10-150 Angstrom. X-ray studies showed that the CR-rich and Fe-rich samples are b.c.c. Those with intermediat e composition showed extra diffraction lines which map be indexed with the Cr s.c. structure. Magnetic properties, such as coercivity H-C an d giant magnetoresistance, were also found to be strongly composition dependent, with maximum values of 320 Oe and 7.5% respectively, measur ed at 35 K.