Ion irradiation effects on magnetostriction of Tb-Fe thin film

Giant magnetostrictive TbFe2 thin films were prepared by the ion plating process. The films were treated by Ar plasma irradiation and heat-treatment. The plasma irradiation was carried out at low plasma energy by a high heat flux sheet plasma system. Both treatments lead to the increase in the maximum magnetostriction and the magnetostrictive susceptibility at low magnetic field. The plasma irradiation effects seem to be due to the heat generation during irradiation. The magnetostrictive characteristics are affected by the increase in in-plane anisotropy magnetization by treatments. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.