High-rate-deposition of Ni-Zn ferrite thin-films using ECR sputtering with conic target

Reactive sputtering utilizing a dense and active electron‐cyclotron‐resonance (ECR) microwave plasma enabled us low‐temperature and high rate deposition of Ni–Zn spinel ferrite thin‐films using a metal sputtering target. In this study, to achieve higher rate deposition, a conic target was introduced to a ECR sputtering apparatus we have developed, instead of platelet targets used in our previous work. The Ni–Zn ferrite thin‐films with a reasonable saturation magnetization of about 290 emu/cc and low coercivity of about 11 Oe could be deposited at an increased deposition rate of 44 nm/min. Also, superior thickness uniformity was confirmed in the substrate area of 140 mm in diameter. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)