Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magneto-optical Kerr effect of MnSbAg alloy films with NiAs structure

Crystal structures and magneto-optical properties of (MnSb)/sub 100-y/Ag/sub y/ (2.1/spl les/y/spl les/10.3) alloy films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering have by been studied by a X-ray diffractometer, a vibrating sample magnetometer and a Kerr loop tracer. The crystal structure of the Mn/sub 47.4/Sb/sub 47.5/Ag/sub 5.1/ alloy film annealed at 300/spl deg/C is a NiAs-type with HCP. The c-axis orientation is normal to the film plane by annealing at 300/spl deg/C for 7 hours. The saturation magnetization of the films shows the maximum at y=5.1 and decreases with the increase of y. The perpendicular anisotropy constants of the film annealed at 300/spl deg/C for 7 hours are K/sub 1/=8.7/spl times/10/sup 4/ erg/cm/sup 3/ and K/sub 2/=4.9/spl times/10/sup 5/ erg/cm/sup 3/. The Kerr rotation angle of the film decreases with decreasing incident wavelength within the range of 700/spl les//spl lambda//spl les/1000 nm. The polar Kerr rotation angles of 0.2/spl deg/ (/spl lambda/=700 nm) and 0.97/spl deg/ (/spl lambda/=1000 nm) have been obtained from the film annealed at 300/spl deg/C for 7 hours.