Chapter 4 - Ferrite Materials: Nano to Spintronics Regime

Abstract

For past decade the development of magnetic materials particularly, ferrites in nano form has undergone a fast expanding evolutionary growth as strategic material in spintronics and sensor applications. In this chapter a brief introduction about the importance and need of bulk and nanoferrite, their applications in various fields like in communication, microwave, electromagnetic shielding, memory devices, multiferroics, spintronics devices, humidity/gas sensing, drug delivery, hyperthermia, biosensors, and so on, have been elaborated. Broadly chapter precisely discusses fabrication techniques, magnetic and electrical properties along with application of ferrite nanostructures or nanomaterials. It also includes fundamental understanding of the subject relating physical properties or phenomenon with material dimension. An effort has been made to describe two-dimensional nanostructures: thin films of ferrite with a cursory look on basic explanation of spintronics future applications. Gas/humidity sensing mechanism of ferrite and its application at nanoscale has been outlined related to recent advancements. A special care has been taken to include necessary theoretical background and experimental details for different techniques employed for the synthesis of ferrite nanoparticles, ferrite composites, and two-dimensional nanostructures—thin film materials. In totality chapter has been interlaced with a lucid introduction on the fundamentals and typical experimental approaches of few well-established techniques of nanoparticle synthesis particularly used for ferrites.