Investigation of magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal by planar Hall effect in Fe3Si and Fe films grown on GaAs(113)A substrates

Magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal in Fe3Si and Fe films grown on GaAs(113)A substrates are studied using the planar Hall effect (PHE). The PHE in this orientation exhibits an antisymmetric component in addition to the usual symmetric component. The relative magnitude of symmetric and antisymmetric components in the PHE is affected by the composition of the Fe3Si films and the thickness of the Fe films, which lead to a complex behaviour of the planar Hall resistivity in the low magnetic field region below saturation. However, irrespective of the composition/thickness of the films, magnetization reversal can be described qualitatively within a single domain by the simple Stoner-Wolfarth model of magnetization reversal. This allows us to determine the magnetic anisotropy properties of these films in good agreement with the experimental results of anisotropic magnetoresistance and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry