Nanometer scale correlation of magnetic and structural features in Ni2MnGa

In this work we present experimental results and a discussion of the structural and magnetic features leading to a minimum magnetic correlation length of the order of 20 nm thick films of Ni
₂
MnGa deposited on MgO substrates. The study is conducted using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) for the magnetic characterization and an atomic force-magnetic force microscope (AFM-MFM) setup, which allows for simultaneous imaging of the structural and magnetic characteristics of the sample surface. The magnetization curves show a coercivity of the order of 4-10 kA/m and an anisotropy field of the order of 160-300 kA/m.