Structural and Magnetic Properties of Nonequilibrium Disordered Fe–Al Alloys Produced by Facing Target Type DC Sputtering

Abstract

X-ray diffraction and magnetization have been measured for Fe_1−xAl_x alloys produced by facing target type DC sputtering. The bcc phase is obtained for x=0–0.65, the amorphous phase for x=0.7–0.9 and the fcc phase for x=0.9–1.0 on water-cooled (WC) substrates, while the bcc phase is obtained for x=0–0.55, the amorphous phase for x=0.65–0.95 and the fcc phase for x=0.95–1.0 on liquid-nitrogen-cooled (LNC) substrates. With increasing x, the average magnetic moment decreases and become zero at about x=0.5 for the alloys on WC substrates and at about x=0.65 for the alloys on LNC substrates. At low temperatures, spin glass characteristics are observed for x=0.3–0.7 in the alloys on WC substrates and for x=0.45–0.7 in the alloys on LNC substrates. These results indicate that the chemically random phases are more stabilized at the lower substrate temperature.