Magnetic Properties of Film Evaporated Simultaneously from Two Elements

The composition distribution and magnetic properties of Fe-Cu film formed by two-source simultaneous evaporation at oblique incidence are described. Fe films were prepared under the same conditions as Fe-Cu films, and the ratio of magnetic moments of Fe atoms in Fe and Fe-Cu films measured. This ratio began decreasing with decreasing Fe content from around 50 percent Fe, reaching zero at about 15 percent Fe. Mössbauer spectra of samples formed at 10° and 45° incidence showed nonmagnetic lines for both, indicating the existence of γ-Fe atoms. As such atoms exist only in areas with high Cu contents, this would imply inhomogeneous composition distributions in the columnar grains of Fe-Cu film.