Epitaxial growth of TbFe₂ on piezoelectric LiNbO₃ Z-cut

The strongly magnetostrictive TbFe₂ compound has been epitaxially grown on Z-cut Lithium Niobate (LiNbO₃) substrates after the deposition of various buffer layers (Mo, Ti and Ti/Mo). Detailed and combined RHEED and x-ray analysis permitted to unravel the in-plane and relative orientation relationships (OR) of the different materials in the system. Despite the use of different templates with different structural orders, similar final OR are eventually found between the piezoelectric substrate and the magnetic layer. The structural and magnetic properties are analyzed in order to get a TbFe₂ layer of optimum quality to build a magnetostrictive/piezoelectric hybrid system with efficient strain mediated coupling. Such systems are of interest for the development of magnetic sensors as well as for the electric control of magnetization.