Epitaxial growth of (110) DyFe2, TbFe2, and Dy0.7Tb0.3Fe2 thin films by molecular beam epitaxy

We present the first epitaxial growth of some (110) ran earth-Fe-2 (DyFe2, TbFe2 and Dy0.7Tb0.3Fe2 known as terfenol-D) thin films on(110)Nb/(<11(2)over bar 0>) sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy. The epitaxy is initiated by the deposition of a thin layer of iron on niobium. The structures are investigated by RHEED and X-ray scattering. Depending on the thermal treatment of the iron thin layer, the films of RE-Fe-2, epitaxially grown on it, are either single crystals or present twins related by a 110 degrees rotation about the surface normal. The growth of epitaxial thin films of these compounds is of interest because of the magnetic and magnetostrictive properties these materials may exhibit.