Magnetic properties of Mn5Ge3 thin films

Thin films containing the Mn5Ge3 intermetallic compound were obtained by a vacuum evaporation technique. The samples were divided into two groups. Films containing up to 60% Mn5Ge3 belong to the first, those containing about 100% belong to the second group. The temperature dependence of magnetization has been measured, and appeared to be similar to those of bulk material, except for a small decrease in the Curie point. The perpendicular-to-surface anisotropy has been measured for group-I films. Its constant depends strongly on temperature and changes from positive values at low temperatures to negative ones at temperatures near the Curie point.