Skip to main content
Log in

Fabrication and magnetic properties of NiFe–ZnO nano-granular films

  • Published:
Rare Metals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Excellent soft magnetic and high frequency properties were obtained successfully in the (Ni75Fe25) x (ZnO)1−x granular films fabricated on the glass substrate by RF magnetron oblique sputtering. The microstructure, magnetic and high frequency properties were investigated systematically. High resolution transmission electron micrographs show that the film consists of fcc Ni75Fe25 particles uniformly embedded in an amorphous insulating matrix ZnO with particle size a few nanometers. The (Ni75Fe25) x (ZnO)1−x films exhibit excellent soft magnetic properties in a wide x range from 0.50 to 0.80 with coercivity not exceeding 5 × 10−4 T, which is ascribed to the exchange coupling between magnetic particles. Especially for the sample with x = 0.64, coercivities in hard and easy axes are 5.0 × 10−5 and 3.6 × 10−4 T, respectively, and the electric resistivity ρ reaches 1,790 μΩ·cm. The dependence of complex permeability u = u′ − ju″ on frequency f shows that the real part u′ is more than 130 below 500 MHz, and the ferromagnetic resonance frequency f r reaches 1.32 GHz, implying the promising for high frequency application.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Morikawa T, Suzuki M, Taga Y. Soft magnetic properties of Co–Cr–O granular films. J Appl Phys. 1998;83(11):6664.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Shu S, Wei L, Minghua L, Guanghua Yu. Investigation on interface of NiFeCr/NiFe/Ta films with high magnetic field sensitivity. Rare Met. 2012;31(1):22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Xu H, Yue M, Zhao C, Zhang D, Zhang J. Structure and magnetic properties of Mn1.2Fe0.8P0.76Ge0.24 annealed alloy. Rare Met. 2012;31(4):336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ohnuma S, Fujimori H, Mitani S, Masumoto T. High frequency magnetic properties in metal–nonmetal granular films (invited). J Appl Phys. 1996;79(8):5130.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Yao D, Ge S, Zhang B, Zuo H, Zhou X. Fabrication and magnetism of Fe65Co35–MgF2 granular films for high frequency application. J Appl Phys. 2008;103(11):113901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Ge S, Yao D, Yamaguchi M, Yang X, Zuo H, Ishii T, Zhou D, Li F. Microstructure and magnetism of FeCo–SiO2 nano-granular films for high frequency application. J Phys D. 2007;40(12):3660.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Aoqui S-I, Munakata M. Uniaxial anisotropy field and crystalline structures of (CoFe)–(SiO2) magnetic thin film for operating in the GHz frequency. Mater Sci Eng, A. 2005;413:550.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Wang W, Chen Y, Yue GH, Mi WB, Bai HL, Sumiyama K, Peng DL. Dependence of soft-magnetic properties on film thickness and high frequency characteristics for Fe–Co–Cr–N alloy films. J Alloy Compd. 2009;476(1–2):599.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wang W, Yue GH, Chen Y, Mi WB, Bai HL, Peng DL. Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Fe–Co–Cr and Fe–Co–Cr–N nanocrystalline alloy films. J Alloy Compd. 2009;475(1–2):440.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fan X, Xue D, Lin M, Zhang Z, Guo D, Jiang C, Wei J. In situ fabrication of Co90Nb10 soft magnetic thin films with adjustable resonance frequency from 1.3 to 4.9 GHz. Appl Phys Lett. 2008;92(22):222505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chai G, Xue D, Fan X, Li X, Guo D. Extending the Snoek’s limit of single layer film in (Co96Zr4/Cu) n multilayers. Appl Phys Lett. 2008;93(15):152516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ohnuma S, Ohnuma M, Fujimori H, Masumoto T. Metal–insulator type nano-granular soft magnetic thin films investigations on mechanism and applications. J Magn Magn Mater. 2007;310(2):2503.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yao D, Ge S, Zhou X, Zuo H. Investigation on the intergranular interaction of the soft magnetic granular films by δM(H) curves. J Appl Phys. 2008;104(1):013902.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Yao D, Ge S, Zhou X, Zuo H. Grain size dependence of coercivity in magnetic metal-insulator nanogranular films with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. J Appl Phys. 2010;107(7):073902.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Herzer G. Soft magnetic nanocrystalline materials. Scripta Metall Mater. 1995;33(10–11):1741.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 50901050 and 60876035), and the Science and Technology Plan Projects of Jiangxi Provincial Education Department (No. GJJ11239).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong-Sheng Yao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhou, XY., Yao, DS. Fabrication and magnetic properties of NiFe–ZnO nano-granular films. Rare Met. 32, 269–272 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-013-0067-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-013-0067-4

Keywords

Navigation