Microstructure and magnetic properties of nano crystalline manganese ferrite thin film fabricated by pulse laser deposition

Nanoparticles of Mn Fe2O4 were chemically synthesized by precipitating the metal ions in aqueous alkaline solution with due optimization of reaction parameters. The XRD data of the powder sample comprising all prominent spinet peaks and clear visibility of ferrite absorption bands in FT-IR spectrum confirm single phase spinal formation. Nano grain size values of the sample derived from XRD data is authenticated by particle size viewed in TEM micrograph. Thin film fabricated from this nano material on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition technique was characterized using XRD and Raman spectroscopic techniques. The XRD results of fabricated thin film indicate moderate degree of texture. AFM image of the thin film showed nano granular morphology with spherical particles of regular size and uniform distribution. Particle size analysis of AFM data suggest formation of thin film by near uniform clustering of nano grains whose dimensions match that of target material. Magnetic measurements of the textured nanocrystalline ferrite thin film revealed enhancement of magnetic properties. The enrichment of coercivity is explained on the basis of large magnetic anisotropy formation in thin film due to texture enhanced lattice strain and surface disorder.