The magnetic properties of hexagonal (Mo0.5Mn0.5)(2)GaC MAX phase synthesized as epitaxial films on MgO (111) substrates with the c-axis perpendicular to the film plane are presented. The analysis of temperature-dependent ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and magnetometry data reveals a ferro-to paramagnetic phase transition at 220 K. The electrical transport measurements at 5K show a negative magnetoresistance of 6% in a magnetic field of 9 T. Further analysis confirms the spin-dependent scattering of charge carriers in this layered material. A small perpendicular (c-axis) magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy density (MAE) of 4.5 kJ/m(3) at 100K was found using FMR. Accordingly, (Mo0.5Mn0.5)(2)GaC behaves similar to the (Cr0.5Mn0.5)(2)GaC MAX phase as a soft magnetic material. The density functional theory calculations reveal that the sign and the amplitude of the MAE can be very sensitive to (Mo0.5Mn0.5)(2)GaC lattice parameters, which may explain the measured soft magnetic properties. Published by AIP Publishing
