The effect of boron addition on the atomic structure and microwave magnetic properties of FeGaB thin films

Varying amounts of boron were added to the host FeGa alloy to investigate its impact upon local atomic structure and magnetic and microwave properties. The impact of B upon the local atomic structure in FeGaB films was investigated by extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis. The EXAFS fitting results revealed a contraction of lattice parameters with the introduction of B. The Debye–Waller factor determined from EXAFS fitting increases as a function of boron addition and abruptly changes during the structural evolution from crystalline to amorphous that occurs near 9% B. Upon the onset of this transition the static and microwave magnetic properties became exceptionally soft, with values of coercivity and ferromagnetic linewidth reducing to less than 1 Oe and 25 Oe, respectively.