Magnetic Properties of Single-Crystalline FeRh Alloy Thin Films

The structural and magnetic properties of single-crystalline Fe100-xRhx (26 <= X <= 63) grown on MgO (100) substrates were systematically studied as a function of composition, temperature and applied magnetic field. The first-order magnetic phase transition of Feloo-xRhx was observed with the range of 51 <= X <= 60. The temperature dependent magnetization behavior for all the samples under investigation is presented. The transition temperature for the change from anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) to a ferromagnefic (FM) state vary between 70 to 150 degrees C. The change in entropy, Delta S, estimated by the change in transition temperature with applied magnetic field during cooling process, decreases with increasing X and at X congruent to 62, it become zero. The observed hysteresis loop performed P-MOKE shows shaper transition as compared to VSM, indicates that surface magnetization distribution is different from the overall film.