MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF FE FILMS EPITAXIALLY GROWN ON CR GAAS(100) BY DC MAGNETRON SPUTTERING/

We report on the growth of single-crystal Fe films by magnetron sputte ring onto GaAs substrates. In order to establish the epitaxial orienta tion with the substrate a 100 Angstrom Cr buffer layer was rf sputtere d. The crystalline and magnetic properties were studied by x-ray diffr action, ferromagnetic resonance, and Kerr effect magnetometry techniqu es. The theta-2 theta x-my measurements show that only the Fe (200) pe ak is present, and the rocking curve shows a full width half maximum o f 2 degrees Ferromagnetic resonance lines exhibit a line width of abou t 30 Oe, and the in-plane resonance field as a function of the azimuth angle presents a fourfold symmetry with no induced anisotropy. The in -plane hard- and easy-axis magneto-optical hysteresis loop traces are consistent with the ferromagnetic resonance results. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.