Epitaxial Ni?Mn?Ga films derived through high temperature in situ depositions

Epitaxial films of the magnetic shape memory alloy Ni?Mn?Ga have been deposited on (100) YSZ substrates in a previously unexplored high temperature deposition regime. The temperatures employed encouraged the development of the desired micrometer-size highly twinned martensitic grain structure, where the loss of manganese and gallium at high temperatures was compensated for through enrichments to the target material. The films show the desired …