Oriented PbFe12O19 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition on sapphire substrate

PbFe12O19 hexaferrite thin films with a high degree of orientation in the perpendicular direction have been deposited by pulsed laser ablation on 1×1-cm2 (0001) sapphire substrate at 700°C under 3.0 mbar partial pressure of high purity oxygen. The anisotropic character of the films was demonstrated by a remanence ratio of 86% in the perpendicular direction in contrast with to 20% in the parallel direction to the film plane. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed this orientation, showing only the (0001) lines of PbFe12O19 compound. The hexagonal lattice parameters determined were a=5.885 Å and c=23.066 Å. Moderate values of coercive field (2.5 kOe) and saturation magnetisation (165 emu/cm3) were obtained.