Abstract
Copper ferrite (CuSUBx/SUBFeSUB3-x/SUBO₄) thin films synthesized on α-Al₂O₃(0001) substrates exhibited the spinel structure for Cu compositions up to x = 1.0. The substituent Cu ions exhibited charge valence of +2, occupying both the tetrahedral and the octahedral sites of the spinel lattice. Magnetic hysteresis measurements on the CuSUBx/SUBFeSUB3-x/SUBO₄ films revealed gradual loss of saturation magnetization (MSUBs/SUB) with increasing x: MSUBs/SUB is reduced to ~50% that of Fe₃O₄ for x = 1.0. The electrical resistivity (ρ) of the CuSUBx/SUBFeSUB3-x/SUBO₄ films increased with x: ρ for x = 1.0 is larger by a factor of 30 than that of Fe₃O₄. The evolution of the magnetic and electrical properties of CuSUBx/SUBFeSUB3-x/SUBO₄ can be explained in terms of the competition between the tetrahedral and octahedral CuSUP2+/SUP density for ferrimagnetic moment and polaronic conduction.
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