Structure and some magnetic properties of thin films prepared from Fe/sub 73.5/M/sub 1/Nb/sub 3/Si/sub 13.5/B/sub 9/ (M:Ag,Cu,Pd,Pt) alloys

Abstract

Thin films of Fe-(M-Nb)-Si-B alloys have been prepared by the flash evaporation method. Thermal treatment has been used which should lead to generation of the /spl alpha/-FeSi ultrafine phase. Structural observations showed that the process of film crystallization depends rather on the initial state of the as-deposited films than on the sort of the alloy (M). Either amorphous or crystalline structure was observed in the as-deposited samples which crystallized upon annealing in two different ways. A large amount of the ultrafine phase crystallized in the film which was amorphous when as-deposited and subsequently annealed in optimum conditions. However, a fully homogeneous /spl alpha/-FeSi ultrafine structure throughout the studied films has never been obtained. Magnetic saturation induction and extraordinary Hall coefficient have been determined by Hall effect measurements.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>