Ni–Mn–Ga films on Si, GaAs and Ni–Mn–Ga single crystals by pulsed laser deposition

We report the deposition of thin films of the magnetic shape-memory (MSM) alloy Ni–Mn–Ga on different substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Both standard semiconductors – Si and GaAs – and Ni–Mn–Ga single crystals were used. The films on silicon had a relatively smooth surface and showed large saturation magnetizations, up to 60% of the bulk value, when deposited at substrate temperatures between 500 and 600 8C. The films on GaAs, on the contrary, were non-ferromagnetic with a granular surface. In addition, preliminary results of films deposited on Ni–Mn–Ga single crystals indicate that the Ni–Mn–Ga film exhibits the same 6% strain in the magnetic field as the bulk.