Correlation between structural, magnetic and transport properties of Co < inf > 2 < /inf > FeSi thin films

Abstract

Co2FeSi thin films are grown on a Si (1 0 0) substrate using ultrahigh-vacuum magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures from 300 °C to 550 °C. The films are characterized using grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, magnetization, and ferromagnetic resonance and temperature-dependent resistivity measurements. The films deposited at 450 °C (TS450) have better magnetic as well as structural properties with the minimum disorder. The temperature dependence of line-width (ΔH) suggests two-magnon scattering is responsible for the line broadening. The correlation between the disorder and extrinsic broadening of the line-width is brought out clearly for the first time in Co2FeSi thin films. TS450 film has minimum ΔH (33 Oe) and Gilbert damping parameter (α = 0.005) at room temperature making it ideal for spintronic applications.