Epitaxial growth of barium hexaferrite film on wide bandgap semiconductor 6H–SiC by molecular beam epitaxy

• Published in: Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Vol. 43; no. 9; p. 095002
• Main Authors: Cai, Z, Goodrich, T L, Sun, B, Chen, Z, Harris, V G, Ziemer, K S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 10.03.2010; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Barium compounds; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Epitaxial growth; Exact sciences and technology; Ferrites; Magnesium oxide; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of monolayers and thin films; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Magnetization; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Molecular beam epitaxy; Molecular, atomic, ion, and chemical beam epitaxy; Physics; Silicon carbide; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surface structure and topography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); X-rays; Atomic force microscopy; Magnetization; XRD; RHEED; Magnetic force microscopy; Deposition process; Surface structure; Molecular beam epitaxy; Chemical bonds; Wide band gap semiconductors; Barium ferrites; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Pole figures; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0022-3727; 1361-6463
• DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/43/9/095002

Epitaxial barium ferrite (BaM) films have been successfully grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the first time on 6H silicon carbide substrates by using a 10 nm single crystalline MgO (1 1 1)//SiC(0 0 0 1) template, also grown by MBE. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the thin MgO template in the early stages of film growth prevented the diffusion of Si into the BaM film. Background oxygen pressure (containing both O atoms and O 2 , but no ionic species) is critical for determining the chemistry and surface structure of BaM. An oxygen deficient or rich environment will cause impurity phases of Fe 3 O 4 or α-BaFe 2 O 4 , respectively. For BaM films grown in an optimal oxygen environment, x-ray diffraction showed a strong c -axis perpendicular to the substrate plane while the pole figure exhibited reflections consistent with epitaxial growth. Vibrating sample magnetometry showed a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy field of 16 200 Oe and a magnetization (as 4π M s ) of 4.1 kG.