Oriented PbFe12O19 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition on sapphire substrate

PbFe12O19 hexaferrite thin films with a high degree of orientation in the perpendicular direction were deposited by pulsed laser ablation on 1 x 1 cm2 (0001) sapphire substrate at 700 C under 3.0 mbar partial pressure of high purity oxygen. The anisotropic character of the films was demonstrated by a remanence ratio of 86% in the perpendicular direction in contrast with 20% in the direction parallel to the film plane. XRD analysis confirmed this orientation, showing only the (0001) lines of PbFe12O19 compound. The hexagonal lattice parameters were a = 0.5885 nm and c = 2.3066 nm. Moderate values of coercive field (2.5 kOe) and saturation magnetisation (165 emu/cm3) were obtained. 18 refs.