Structural, magnetic and electrical properties of FexNi100−x/Si(100) films

A series of FexNi100−x (2≤x≤100) thin films with thicknesses between 110 and 150 nm were evaporated on Si(100) substrates. The structural, magnetic and electrical properties of the films were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Alternating Gradient Field Magnetometer (AGFM) and four probe-point techniques. It was found that the films are polycrystalline and grow with 〈111〉 and 〈110〉 textures in the nickel-rich and iron-rich regions, respectively. The crystallite size and the internal strain rate ε were computed vs. the at% Fe using the line profile analysis of a single peak. The study of the magnetization curves shows that all films have an in-plane easy magnetization axis. The saturation magnetization and the coercive field have been studied as a function of the iron atomic percentage. The electric measurements indicate a maximum electrical resistivity of 45 µΩ cm near the Anyster composition.