Effect of 80 keV Ar+ implantation on the properties of pulse laser deposited magnetite (Fe3O4) thin films

Highly oriented thin films of Fe3O4 were deposited on (100) LaAlO3 substrat es by pulsed laser ablation. The structural quality of the films was confir med by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The films showed a Verwey transition near 1 20 K. The films were subjected to 80 keV Ar+ implantation at different ion doses up to a maximum of 6 x 10(14) ions/cm(2). Ion beam induced modificati ons in the films were investigated using XRD and resistance vs temperature measurements. Implantation decreases the change in resistance at 120 K and this effect saturates beyond 3 x 10(14) ions/cm(2). The Yerwey transition t emperature, T-v, shifts towards lower temperatures with increase in ion dos e.