Abstract
The room-temperature weak ferromagnetism of amorphous HfAlOx thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition on various substrates in oxygen-defective ambient is demonstrated. The magnetization is independent of film thickness, but depends on substrates and deposition temperatures. A magnetic moment of similar to 0.26 mu(B) per HfAlOx f.u. is recorded for HfAlOx films deposited under optimized conditions [deposited at 600 degrees C on (001) sapphire in high vacuum]. It is argued that interfacial defects are one of the possible sources of the weak ferromagnetism. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.