Magnetism in Bulk and Thin Film Metallic Glass Systems

Metallic glasses are considered to be at the cutting edge of materials research owing to their fascinating properties originating from an extensive tunability of composition. Some of the distinctive features characterizing this class of bulk amorphous alloys are: high thermal stability, elevated mechanical strength, significant corrosion and wear resistance, good electrical properties and biocompatibility. These properties are observed to be all the more potent when such materials are grown in thin film form; referred to as thin film metallic glasses (TFMGs). Incorporation of ferromagnetic elements in metallic glasses additionally endows them with excellent soft magnetic properties of large saturation magnetization, low coercivity, and reduced hysteresis loss, making them invaluable in magnetic recording media, magneto-optical, and high-power device applications. Ferromagnetic TFMGs form a promising subset of TFMGs, which possess all the advantages associated with their corresponding bulk structures along with an extra benefit of miniaturization. Their somewhat untapped performance potential may be attributed to the challenges faced during their preparation. This chapter provides a brief overview of the current status of research on these interesting materials along with their preparation methods and properties, using some pertinent examples.