Effect of Thermal Processing on the Structural and Magnetic Properties of Epitaxial Co₂FeGe Films

The structure and magnetic properties of epitaxial Heusler alloy films (Co₂FeGe) deposited on MgO (100) substrates were investigated. Films of 60 nm thickness were prepared by magnetron co-sputtering at different substrate temperatures (T_S), and those deposited at room temperature were later annealed at various temperatures (T_a). X-ray diffraction confirmed (001) [110] Co₂FeGe || (001) [100] MgO epitaxial growth. A slight tetragonal distortion of the film cubic structure was found in all samples due to the tensile stress induced by the mismatch of the lattice parameters between Co₂FeGe and the substrate. Improved quality of epitaxy and the formation of an atomically ordered L2₁ structure were observed for films processed at elevated temperatures. The values of magnetization increased with increasing T_S and T_a. Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) studies revealed 45° in-plane rotation of the easy anisotropy axis direction depending on the degree of the tetragonal distortion. The film annealed at T_a = 573 K possesses the minimal FMR linewidth and magnetic damping, while both these parameters increase for another T_S and T_a. Overall, this study underscores the crucial role of thermal treatment in optimizing the magnetic properties of Co₂FeGe films for potential spintronic and magnonic applications.