Mn-doped films, prepared by vacuum evaporation from melts containing approximately 57% Ni, 38% Fe, plus 5% Mn are found to possess the following properties: uniaxial anisotropy with a mean value of Hk=3.7 Oe; a magnetostriction constant λ with a mean value of 75×10−6; large rotation of the easy axis with applied stress; and magnetization M similar to that of Permalloy. These films are eminently suitable for use in the Sonic Film Memory. They display a figure of merit which is statistically a factor of 6 smaller (better) than that for Ni–Fe and Ni–Fe–Co films. Normal evaporation methods induce oriented strains on the order of 10−5 as a result of nonuniform heating of the substrates to the deposition temperature of 300°C. At this level of strain the highly strain-sensitive Mn films display excessive skew and dispersion. Special, thermally stabilized fabrication facilities have to be used to minimize this problem.