Bond-orientational anisotropy and anelastic deformation in sputter-deposited amorphous TbFeCo films

Results of a synchrotron x-ray-scattering study on the structural anisotropy of sputter-deposited amorphous Tb26Fe62Co 12 thin films are described, and the mechanisms which lead to the observed structural and magnetic anisotropies are discussed. The observed structural anisotropy is characteristic of bond-orientational anisotropy and is incompatible with the atomic pair-ordering model.