Alternating current susceptibility and magnetisation of nanocrystalline Co2MnSi Heusler alloy films

The Co2MnSi (CMS) Heusler alloy films with thickness d = 90 ÷ 110 nm were grown by DC magnetron sputtering on both nonheated and heated Si(100) and MgO(100) substrates. The films grown (annealed) at T ≥ 400°C demonstrated a nanocrystalline structure with a partially ordered B2 phase and traces of a highly ordered L21 phase as found from XRD measurements. The films deposited onto the nonheated substrates followed by annealing at Tann = 300 ÷ 500°C demonstrated a gradual increase of the saturation magnetisation, Msat, up to about 4.0 μB/f.u. (at 295 K) while the coercity field, Hc, of the films increased from about 10 to 12 kA/m with Tann increasing from 400 to 500°C. Unusually low Hc values of about 0.1 and 0.3 kA/m have been indicated for the films grown in situ at 400°C on MgO and Si, respectively. A significant increase of the Hc values found for the films grown in situ at Ts = 450°C and reduced Msat values for similar films grown at 500°C have been associated with the instability of the ordered L21 structure at high temperatures.