Magnetic and magneto-optic properties of amorphous GdFeBi-films (invited)

Abstract

Amorphous rare‐earth‐transition metal alloys of composition (Gd_1−xFe_x)_1−yBi_y with 0?y?0.17 have been prepared by high vaccum electron gun evaporation onto rotating glass substrates. The magnetic and magneto‐optic properties have been investigated in the temperature range 4.2 K?T?T_C. From the temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization the compensation temperature is found to decrease strongly with increasing y (T_comp=0 for x=0.74, y=0.1) while the Curie temperature and the temperature for crystallization are much less affected. The magneto‐optic Faraday and Kerr rotation display a considerable increase with increasing Bi‐content. The temperature behavior can be interpreted in terms of the mean field analysis indicating a pronounced influence of the bismuth on the iron moment and the exchange constants.