Structural and magnetic properties of NiZn and Zn ferrite thin films obtained by laser ablation deposition

Laser ablation deposition has been used to synthesize nanoscale ferrite structures. Our investigations were performed on NiZn and Zn ferrite films deposited on silicon(100) substrates. Films produced by laser ablation at room temperature were annealed at 550 deg. C for 1 h. Other films were deposited directly at a 550 deg. C substrate temperature without subsequent annealing. Complementary x-ray diffraction and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry measurements helped identify the optimum laser ablation deposition conditions for obtaining the desired nanoferrite structures. From the hysteresis loops at 300 and 10 K we identified the paramagnetic or ferromagnetic behavior of the films. The zero field cooled-field cooled (ZFC-FC) magnetization, M(T), curves yielded the value of the blocking temperature in both NiZn and Zn ferrite systems