Magnetoelectric hexaferrite thin film growth on oxide conductive layer for applications at low voltages

Magnetoelectric (ME) M-type hexaferrite thin films were deposited on conductive oxide layer of Indium–Tin Oxide (ITO) in order to lower applied voltages to observe ME effects at room temperature. The thin film of ME hexaferrites, SrCo2Ti2Fe8O19/ITO buffer layer, were deposited on sapphire substrate using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique. The film exhibited ME effects as confirmed by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in voltages as low as 0.5V. Without the oxide conductive layer the required voltages to observe ME effects were typically 500V and higher. The thin films were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and ferromagnetic resonance. We measured saturation magnetization of 1064G, and coercive field of 20Oe for these thin films. The change rate in remanence magnetization was measured with the application of DC voltage at room temperature and it gave rise to changes in remanence in the order of 15% with the application of only 0.5V (DC voltage). We deduced a ME coupling, α, of 5×10−10sm−1 in SrCo2Ti2Fe8O19 thin films. •Magnetoelectric (ME) hexaferrite thin films were deposited on conductive ITO.•Much lower voltage is required in order observe ME effects, as low as 0.5V.•ME films with conductive layers appear to be very promising in future IC circuitry.