Deposition of high-quality NiMnSb magnetic thin films at moderate temperatures

Thin films of the ferromagnetic Heusler alloy NiMnSb, of interest for magnetic multilayer devices because of their predicted half-metallic (i.e., 100% spin-polarized) transport properties, have been successfully deposited by rf magnetron sputtering from a single composite target. A novel combination of low argon gas pressure, low deposition rates, and moderate substrate temperatures (250-350 degrees C) are shown to result in high-quality, low-roughness polycrystalline films of the C1(b)-type crystal structure, with thicknesses as low as 100 Angstrom, without the need for any post-deposition annealing. The structural properties of these films, determined by x-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy are presented as a function of deposition conditions. The magnetic properties and resistivity are consistent with bulk MiMnSb, which suggests that they will be effective as spin-polarized conducting layers in multilayer thin-film structures. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.