Composition dependent properties of Fe3Si films grown on GaAs(113)A substrates

Structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of Fe3Si/GaAs(113)A hybrid structures are studied, dependent on the layer composition varying from 15 to 26 at. % Si. The presence of superlattice reflections in x-ray diffraction and lower resistivity confirms the long-range atomic ordering in the stoichiometric Fe3Si films, reflecting the D03 crystal structure. The observed atomic ordering is also found to influence the sign and magnitude of the antisymmetric component of the planar Hall effect observed in this orientation. However a finite disorder is observed even in nearly stoichiometric samples.