Magnetic properties of ferromagnetic Gd$_5$Si$_4$-Fe$_3$O$_4$ bilayer thin film heterostructure

Abstract

Magnetic properties of thin films differs from that of the corresponding bulk materials and show novel physics as a result of their reduced size and dimensionality. Profound changes in magnetic properties can also result with exchange bias between the interface of the thin films of different materials. Here we present Fe$_3$O$_4$, Gd$_5$Si$_4$ and Fe$_3$O$_4$-Gd$_5$Si$_4$ bilayer thin films of varying thicknesses were prepared by RF Magnetron sputtering of Fe$_3$O$_4$ and Gd$_5$Si$_4$ targets on silicon substrates in high vacuum. Their magnetization was measured at room temperature in fields of 3T and between 50 K to 400 K temperatures. Gd5Si4 films resulted in oxidation due to the exposure to the air. Deposited film thickness of all the specimens are larger than 50nm and show ferromagnetic behavior.