STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF (001)FE FILMS

The relationship between structural and magnetic properties was examin ed for epitaxial Fe(001) films with 500 angstrom to 1 mum thickness on MgO(001) substrates prepared by the ion beam sputtering technique. La ttice spacing perpendicular to the (001) plane of as-deposited Fe film s was found to be longer by 1.4 to 2% than the lattice parameter of bu lk Fe. The shapes of M-H curves for those Fe films changed from square to step type with increasing film thickness. Stripe domain was observ ed for films with step-type hysteresis loops. The appearance of the st ripe domain was clearly explained by the perpendicular magnetic anisot ropy induced by the tension of the lattice.