Degree of order dependence on magnetocrystalline anisotropy in bct FeCo alloys

Abstract

We investigate the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) energy of tetragonal distorted FeCo alloys depending on the degree of order by first-principles electronic structure calculation combined with the coherent potential approximation. The obtained results indicate that the MCA energy of FeCo alloys strongly depends on the degree of order under optimal conditions, where the axial ratio of the bct structure is 1.25 and the composition is Fe0.5Co0.5. We find that the modification of the electronic structure resulting from electron scattering by chemical disorder has a considerable influence on the MCA under these conditions.