Structural and Magnetic Properties of Co2FeAl0.5Si0.5 Full-Heusler Alloy Thin Films on GaAs Substrates

We investigated the structural and magnetic properties of Co2FeAl0.5Si0.5 (CFAS) thin films on GaAs substrates. The CFAS thin films grew epitaxially on GaAs with CFAS (100)[100] parallel to GaAs (100)[100] relation and formed an ordered L2(1) structure with substrate heating deposition at T-SUB = 300 degrees C, 400 degrees C and post annealed at T-PA = 400 degrees C. Moreover, we confirmed the no reaction between CFAS and GaAs. The CFAS thin films on GaAs showed strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with an easy axis of [110](CFAS) ([110]GaAs) direction and the magnetic anisotropy generally increased by decreasing the thickness of CFAS. The magnetic moment of the CFAS film deposited with substrate heating at 300 degrees C was approximately 4.8 mu(B)/f.u. at room temperature. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MBW201004]