Magnetic and transport properties of permalloy thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

NixFe100−x thin films with x≊65%–90%, have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on top of thin Fe/Pd multilayers. In situ electron diffraction, and ex situ x-ray diffraction indicate epitaxial growth of the films in a face-centered cubic structure, with the (011) axis perpendicular to the substrate. This has been confirmed by electron microscopy, which also reveals regions of polycrystalline growth. Although the permalloy film itself has negligible magnetic anisotropy, the in-plane uniaxial anisotropy induced in the Fe layers can be transferred to the NiFe alloy layer through a 5-Å Pd spacer layer. The high crystalline quality of the films results in bulklike transport properties; σ=25 μΩ cm, and ΔR/R=2%, for a 60-Å-thick film.