Crystallography and Microstructure of 7M Martensite in Ni-Mn-Ga Thin Films Epitaxially Grown on (1 1 2 over bar 0)-Oriented Al2O3 Substrate

Epitaxial Ni-Mn-Ga thin films have been extensively investigated, due to their potential applications in magnetic micro-electro-mechanical systems. It has been proposed that the martensitic phase in the < 1 1 0 >(A)-oriented film is much more stable than that in the < 1 0 0 >(A)-oriented film. Nevertheless, the magnetic properties, microstructural features, and crystal structures of martensite in such films have not been fully revealed. In this work, the < 1 1 0 >(A)-oriented Ni51.0Mn27.5Ga21.5 films with different thicknesses were prepared by epitaxially growing on Al2O3(1 1 2 over bar 0) substrate by magnetron sputtering. The characterization by X-ray diffraction technique and transmission electron microscopy revealed that all the Ni51.0Mn27.5Ga21.5 films are of 7M martensite at the ambient temperature, with their Type-I and Type-II twinning interfaces nearly parallel to the substrate surface.