MOKE spectroscopy of sputter-deposited Cu-ferrite films

The copper ferrite CuFe2O4 films deposited at 50 and 200W RF power on fused quartz substrates and subsequently heat treated were investigated by polar magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) spectroscopy at photon energies ranging from 1.2 to 5eV. CuFe2O4 films can be stabilized in two phases at room temperature depending on deposition conditions and post-deposition thermal treatment, i.e., (a) cubic with high magnetization and (b) tetragonal with low magnetization. The differences are due to cation redistribution and Jahn–Teller distortions and manifest themselves in the MOKE spectra.