Alternate layer deposition method for the deposition of c-axis oriented hexagonal barium ferrite thin films

Abstract

Sputter-deposition of c-axis perpendicularly oriented hexagonal barium ferrite (BaM: BaFe 12O 19, and BaW: BaFe 18O 27) thin films was attempted by means of an alternate periodic deposition of Fe 3O 4 layer (S-layer) and BaFe 6O 11 layer (R-layer). BaM film with c-axis orientation was obtained at temperatures above 540 C, in which control of the thickness of both S-layer and R-layer was very important to obtain a BaM thin film with c-axis orientation. BaW film, however, was not obtained at the periodic layer deposition condition corresponding to the BaW crystal ( S-layer= 9.3 Å,R-layer= 6.9 Å).