Induced anisotropy in Ni-Fe films

A survey of experimental results for magnetic anisotropy induced during evaporation and annealing of polycrystalline Ni-Fe alloy films is given. Existing data for the uniaxial anisotropy constantKappear to be bounded from above by the combined predictions of strain and directional-ordering theories. The strain anisotropy frequently attains theoretical values, and often less, while directional-ordering anisotropy in high-vacuum films (circa 10^-5torr) generally attains half or less of theoretical expectations.