The structure and magneto-optic properties of MnAl-based thin films

We have measured the magnetization and magneto-optic Kerr rotation of sputtered thin films of Mn-Al-Cu ternary alloys over a wide composition range and for substrate temperatures between 25 and 450 °C. Magnetization and x-ray diffraction measurements suggest that our films are a mixture of the ferromagnetic kappa (κ) phase of MnAl and a highly paramagnetic amorphous phase. Room-temperature magneto-optic measurements on these films show a saturation polar Kerr rotation of up to 0.12° with little wavelength dependence.