Effect of sputtering time and calcination temperature duration on the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of DC sputtered SrM films

Strontium ferrite (SrFe12\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_{12}$$\end{document}O19\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_{19}$$\end{document}) films on alumina substrate were prepared using DC sputtering technique. The SrFe12\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_{12}$$\end{document}O19\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_{19}$$\end{document} hexaferrite target was sputtered at 100-watt power at a 24 sccm flow rate of argon gas on the alumina substrates. A series of films were prepared with different sputtering times and calcination temperature durations in the form of Series B, and Series E. The structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic properties of prepared SrM films were investigated at room temperature using FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS, UV-Vis, Raman, and VSM measurements, respectively. The XRD analysis revealed the formation of the M-phase (hexagonal) along with the peaks corresponding to the alumina substrate. The film samples exhibited morphology with interconnected grains, which have a structure similar to porous fiber. The UV-VIS spectra show a sharp rise from 400 nm giving rise to bandgap, a red shift is observed with calcination duration. Raman spectra of all film samples showed nine Raman-active modes: 4A1g\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$4A_{1\text {g}}$$\end{document} and 3E1g\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$3E_{1\text {g}}$$\end{document} and 2E2g\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$2E_{2\text {g}}$$\end{document}. M-H loops analysis was carried out of the films for both in-plane and out-of-plane orientation of the films. Ms\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_s$$\end{document} and Hc\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$_c$$\end{document} values varied for both the series B and E with thickness and calcination time. The resulting films show good magnetic properties, which makes them appropriate for utilisation in various applications like data storage, EMI shielding, and optoelectronic applications, etc.