Effect of lattice mismatch strains on the structural and magnetic properties of barium ferrite films

The effect of substrate-induced lattice strains on the structural and magnetic properties of epitaxial barium ferrite (BaFe12O19) thin films is studied. The 5000 Å thick film shows a very narrow ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) line with a width of about 140 Oe. After appropriate annealing, the linewidth measured at 58 GHz decreases to 37 Oe, which to the best of our knowledge is about two times smaller than the best previously reported value for epitaxial thin films. FMR studies show that the presence of strains broadens resonance absorption. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.