FMR studies of half metallic ferromagnetic thin films Co2MnSn and Co2MnGe

Abstract

Thin films of Heusler alloys Co2MnSn and Co2MnGe prepared on sapphire a-plane substrates by RF-sputtering have been investigated by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) technique. The magnetic anisotropies of the Co2MnSn and Co2MnGe thin films have been probed and the effective magnetization values have been extracted. Weak in-plane anisotropies observed for the Co2MnGe sample indicate a textured growth of the films. Non-uniform (spin-wave and interface/surface) modes have been observed and the exchange stiffness constants for the Co2MnSn and Co 2MnGe films have been estimated. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.