Growth and magnetic properties of Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4 thin films on silicon

Integration of ferrite thin films of CoFe2O4 with silicon was an essential step for the development of magnetic and microwave micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices. This paper reports about the integration of Zn and Mn co-doped CoFe2O4 (Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4) thin films on silicon wafer surface. The films were deposited by spin coating technique and subsequently annealed at 600 °C (thickness ∼200 nm) and 700 °C (thickness ∼150 nm). Higher values of in plane remanance ratio (33-35%) compared to out of planes (5-13.5%) ones indicate the in plane orientation of the easy axis of magnetization driven by the shape anisotropy of the thin film structure. Upon rise in annealing temperature, coercivity for longitudinal Kerr hysteresis loop increases from 164 Oe to 227 Oe and that for the transverse hysteresis Kerr loop increases from 244 Oe to 586 Oe.