Magnetic Properties of Gadolinium Silicide Thin Films for Different Heat Treatments

The magnetic properties of heavy rare earth silicide GdSi2-x thin films are investigated as a function of the annealing temperature of the films. Resistivity measurements reveal in the two films annealed at high and low temperatures, but for a short time, the existence of two transition temperatures corresponding to the presence of an ordered and a disordered structure. In the film annealed at high temperature for a long time, only one transition temperature occurs. It corresponds to a magnetic structure transformation.