Effects of Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid on the Texture and Magnetic Properties of Barium Ferrite Films

Abstract

M-type barium ferrite thin films with hexagonal platelets on sapphire were fabricated by spin-coating of precursors. Fourier-transform infrared spectra indicated that bonds between the metal and oxygen were formed at about 500°C. X-ray diffraction showed that the films had preferred c-axis orientation. Surface morphology of the film was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Textures of the films were influenced by the amount of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The film with the least pores and the most c-axis-textured platelet hexagonal grains was obtained when the ratio of EDTA to metal ions was 1.0. At the same time, the magnetic hysteresis loops in directions parallel and perpendicular to the film plane demonstrated that the films were almost isotropic. The maximum coercive forces of 43.23 kA/m in plane and 54.70 kA/m out of plane were achieved when the ratio of the amount of EDTA to metal ions was 0.5. The highest in-plane remanence ratio was 0.32 when the ratio of EDTA to metal ions was 1.5, while the highest out-of-plane value was 0.28 in the other two cases.