Correlation between morphology and magnetic properties of Fe66Ge34 films

The synthesis of amorphous materials with tailored short-range order and functionality requires minimal adatom mobility. In this talk, I will discuss the effect of a varying surface temperature during co-evaporation of iron and germanium on the film morphology, segregation, magnetic anisotropy, and magnetization configuration and reversal. Using nominally the same growth conditions with and without aluminum seed layer on silicon nitride, different mounting strategies divulge the inevitable increase in surface temperature due to radiation heating altering structural and chemical short-range order. Films synthesized at room temperature while rotating the substrate are generally isotropic and nanogranular while low-temperature homogeneous materials reveal a sizable magnetic uniaxial, in-plane anisotropy and striped domain formation.