Characterization of nanostructured magnetite thin films produced by sol-gel processing

Eken A. E., ÖZENBAŞ A. M.

JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.50, no.3, pp.321-327, 2009 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 50 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10971-009-1971-9
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF SOL-GEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.321-327
  • Keywords: Iron oxide, Thin film, Sol-gel process, Magnetite, NONLINEAR-OPTICAL PROPERTIES, TRANSPORT-PROPERTIES, MAGNETORESISTANCE, MICROSTRUCTURE, ALPHA-FE2O3, BEHAVIOR
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Nanocrystalline films of magnetite have been prepared by a novel sol-gel route in which, a solution of iron (III) nitrate dissolved in ethylene glycol was applied on glass substrates by spin coating. Coating solution showed Newtonian behaviour and viscosity was found as 0.0215 Pa.s. Annealing temperature was selected between 291 and 350 A degrees C by DTA analysis in order to obtain magnetite films. In-plane grazing angle XRD and TEM studies showed that magnetite phase was present upon annealing the films at 300 A degrees C. The films had crack free surfaces and their thicknesses varied between similar to 10 and 200 nm. UV-Vis spectrum results showed that transmittance of the films increases with decreasing annealing temperature and increasing spinning rate. Up to 96% transmittance was observed between the wavelengths of 900-1,100 nm. Vibrating sample magnetometer measurements indicated that magnetite thin films showed ferromagnetic behavior and the saturation magnetization value was found as similar to 35 emu/cm(3).