Binary Laves Phase Multilayers and Thin Films

Strong and closed,
Locking selfish and within,
Weak and opened,
Reaching shared and calling,
Face out and unite,
Free yet in nature chained,
Let loose in flight,
Power set on wings claimed.

This chapter presents CEMS measurements of Rare Earth/Iron Laves Phase thin films and multilayers. The first section gives an outline of the characteristics of these systems and their potential uses. Then the results are displayed and discussed from the viewpoint of a Mössbauer spectroscopy study of the magnetic anisotropy in thin film samples. We are attempting to determine the magnetic easy axis through analysis of accurate line positions which are sensitive to the dipolar magnetic hyperfine field. The latter sections observe the effects of multilayers of different Laves Phase materials on the anisotropy and hyperfine fields.