Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of bcc-Co Films Epitaxially Grown on GaAs(110)B3 Single-Crystal Substrates

bcc-Co(110) single-crystal films were obtained on GaAs(110)B3 substrates by ultrahigh-vacuum rf magnetron sputtering. The detailed film structures are studied by refection high energy electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The lattice constants of bcc-Co film are determined to be (a, b, c, c/a) = (0.2789 nm, 0.2789 nm, 0.2825 nm, 1.013). The in-plane lattice spacing is 2.6% larger than the out-of-plane lattice spacing due to accommodation of lattice mismatch. The magnetization properties of bcc-Co film reflect the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of bcc-Co crystal with the easy magnetization axes along bcc directions.