Magnetic properties of half-metallic Fe3O4 films

Abstract

The electron beam deposition technique was used to analyze the magnetic properties of Fe3O4 films grown directly on a Si(001) substrate and on a copper buffer layer. The effect of the Cu buffer layer thickness on the magnetic properties and microstructure of Fe3O 4 was described. A marked increase in the coercivity was observed for films deposited directly on a Si(001) substrate. Two distinct switching fields due to the presence of two magnetic phases which are weakly coupled at the substrate interface were observed for Fe3O4 films deposited directly on Si(001).