Surface morphology and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 thin films grown by a RF magnetron sputtering method

Cobalt ferrite thin films were fabricated at various substrate deposition temperatures and post-annealing temperatures using a RF magnetron sputtering method. Structural properties and surface morphology of deposited films were examined using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). XRD patterns of all deposited films consisted of a single phase of cobalt ferrite and they did not have any preferred orientation. FESEM micrographs of CoFe2O4 films showed that the film deposited at 600degreesC had a surface morphology different from the ones at 700degreesC and 800degreesC. The surface morphology of post-annealed samples was very different from that of films grown with various substrate temperatures. Magnetic properties measured at room temperature showed that the films did not have any magnetically preferred orientation. The maximum values of the coercivities measured at perpendicular and in-plane directions were 3.873 and 2.70kOe, respectively. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.