Researchers Devise Economical Technique to Create NFO Thin Films

Researchers at the North Carolina State University in conjunction with their counterparts from Georgia Institute of Technology have devised an economical technique to produce ceramic thin films of nickel ferrite (NFO).

The new method to produce textured NFO thin films can be scaled up for commercialization. The study is important because the magnetic NFO material holds great potential for application in new generation memory devices and microwave technologies.

The researchers employed chemical vapor deposition to create textured NFO films. This means that the thin films feature an ordered crystalline structure. The magnetic properties of NFO are enhanced if the crystalline structures are well aligned. The NFO material can also be made suitable for numerous applications by doping with other materials. An illustration of this is the doping of NFO with zinc which ensures that the former retains the magnetic characteristics at high temperatures. The doping or property modification can be easily achieved through the chemical vapor deposition technique.

The first step to the technique involves the production of the NFO solution by introducing compounds of iron and nickel into an organic solution. The NFO solution is then introduced on to a platinum coated silicon wafer. The NFO solution is spread consistently across the surface of the silicon wafer by spinning it. The solvent evaporates when the wafer is first heated. On sustained heating upto a temperature of 750°C, the NFO crystallizes. The technique can be used to create NFO films as big as 10x10 cm in dimensions. The technique is distinct for being able to facilitate production of textured thin films over such a large area.