Abstract
The origin of perpendicular anisotropy in sendust (Fe-Si-Al alloy) thin films was studied. The magnitude of the perpendicular anisotropy was evaluated from the magnetic field (saturation field) which is needed to saturate the magnetization on the hysteresis loop, for films with the hysteresis loop characteristic of the stripe domain structure caused by the perpendicular anisotropy. The perpendicular anisotropy arose regardless of the columnar structure in the films, and decreased with heat treatment at 300-400°C. The saturation field did not depend on temperature in such a way that the perpendicular anisotropy originated from the shape anisotropy. These results indicate that the perpendicular anisotropy in sendust thin films originates mainly from the anisotropy due to the magnetostriction, not from the shape anisotropy.
