A magnetic glass state over the first-order ferromagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition in FeRh film

The intermetallic FeRh system has displayed tremendous fascination to investigators due to its remarkable physical properties and potential applications. Here we synthesized near-equiatomic FeRh films on MgO (001) substrate by magnetron co-sputtering of Fe and Rh, and our results revealed a magnetic glass (MG) state existing after field cooling to low temperature. The MG state is nonequilibrium with a configuration of metastable supercooled ferromagnetic (FM) and equilibrium antiferromagnetic (AFM) phases, and arises from a kinetic arrest of the first-order FM–AFM phase transition. Our finding is beneficial to a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of the FeRh phase transition.