MAGNETOOPTICAL PROPERTIES OF SR-FERRITE FILMS PRODUCED BY PULSED-LASER ABLATION

The effect of substate temperature and oxygen pressure on the microstr ucture and magneto-optical (m-o) properties of Sr-ferrite films grown on (001) single crystal sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition has been investigated. The results demonstrated that smooth c-axis or iented films, could only be prepared at a narrow operational window of the useful oxygen pressure and at high substrate temperatures. The be st films were deposited at a substrate temperature of 840 degrees C, a nd in an oxygen atmosphere of about 0.1 mbar. These were of good optic al quality, hard to scratch, with c-axis oriented perpendicular to the film plane and exhibited bulk m-o properties.