Direct observation of anelastic bond-orientational anisotropy in amorphous ${\mathrm{Tb}}_{26}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{62}$${\mathrm{Co}}_{12}$ thin films by x-ray diffraction

We have measured the scattering intensity of amorphous ${\mathrm{Tb}}_{26}$ ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{62}$ ${\mathrm{Co}}_{12}$ thin films using synchrotron radiation with the scattering vector Q both in and out of the plane of the film. The anisotropy in the position of the first and second peaks of the scattering intensity indicates the presence of bond-orientational anisotropy, which we propose to be the principal origin of the magnetic anisotropy in these films.