Magnetic and Electronic Properties of Heusler Alloy Films Investigated by X-Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism

2008

We have investigated the magnetic properties of epitaxial Heusler alloy films using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism∈dex{x-ray!magnetic circular dichroism} (XMCD) in the transmission (TM) and in the surface sensitive total electron yield (TEY) mode. We have investigated Ni_2MnGa based shape memory alloys and half-metallic Co2Cro.6Feo.4 films. Single crystalline Ni2MnGa(110)/Al2O3(1120) and Ni2MnGa(100)/MgO(100) films show a martensitic transition from a cubic high temperature phase to a martensitic low-temperature phase at 250–275 K as concluded from magnetometry and x-ray diffraction. The martensitic transition of this Heusler compound is shifted in…