Electrical and magnetic properties were studied for evaporated Fe thin films
on glass and Si substrates. These properties were investigated by means of
the four point probe and the magneto-optical Kerr effect techniques.
Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
experiments show no interdiffusion at the interface Fe/Si for these samples.
The electrical resistivity $\rho $ is found to be larger in Fe/glass than in
Fe/Si for the same thickness. Diffusion at the grain boundaries seems to be
the dominant factor in the $\rho $ values in this 6 to 110 nm thickness
range; the reflection coefficient is smaller in Fe/glass (R ≈ 0.40)
than in Fe/Si(100) (R ≈ 0.65). Saturation field and strain values
confirm that Fe films have a stress induced magnetic anisotropy. Coercive
field HC values range from 2.45 Oe for Fe/Si(100) to 17.65 Oe for
Fe/Si(111) for the same Fe thickness (45 nm).