Effect of zinc doping on the structural and magnetic properties of nickel ferrite thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition technique

• Laser ablated ferrite thin films.
• Enhanced structural and magnetic properties of Ni–Zn ferrite thin films.
• Ni–Zn Ferrite films are strongly room temperature ferromagnetic.
• Higher coercivity in fabricated films.

Zinc, as known as non-magnetic element, has been doped into nickel ferrite under thin film form to modify its structural and magnetic properties. Laser ablated Ni1−xZnxFe2O4 (0.0≤x≤0.5) thin films grown on R-cut Al2O3 (0001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique are single phase with (l l l) orientation, and they are strongly room temperature ferromagnetic. Compared to other Ni–Zn ferrite thin films we observed the enhancement in coercivity Hc. Higher Hc thin films can be used as potential candidates for modern miniaturization of electronic devices.