Magnetotransport and magnetic properties of amorphous $$\mathrm{NdNi}_5$$ thin films

Abstract

Abstract$$\mathrm{NdNi}_5$$ NdNi 5 is an intermetallic compound with a bulk Curie temperature ($$T_{\mathrm{Curie}}$$ T Curie ) of 6–13 K. While existing studies have focused on $$\mathrm{NdNi}_5$$ NdNi 5 crystals, amorphous thin-films of $$\mathrm{NdNi}_5$$ NdNi 5 are potentially important since they would be magnetically soft without magnetocrystalline anisotropy, meaning that small external magnetic fields could reverse the direction of their magnetization. Here, we report $$\mathrm{NdNi}_5$$ NdNi 5 thin-films with a thickness in the 5–200 nm range, deposited by DC magnetron sputtering onto Si(100). Films are amorphous with a weak temperature-dependent resistivity with values ranging between 150 and 300 $$\upmu \Omega$$ μ Ω cm. By means of noise spectroscopy, by analyzing the time-dependence of fluctuation-induced voltages, it is found that at low temperatures the resistance fluctuations are due to the Kondo effect. Volume magnetometry indicates $$T_{\mathrm{Curie}} = 70$$ T Curie = 70 K with a magnetic coercive field of 30 mT at 5 K for a 125-nm-thick film. The results are promising for the development of Ferromagnet(F)/Superconductor(S)/Ferromagnet(F) pseudo spin-valve devices based on amorphous $$\mathrm{NdNi}_5$$ NdNi 5 thin films.