Cubic phase stabilization in sputter-deposited nanocrystalline copper ferrite thin films with large magnetization

Copper ferrite thin films were prepared using RF sputtering. The films were annealed at various temperatures and subsequently quenched. It was possible to stabilize the cubic phase at room temperature. The magnetization, as a function of annealing temperature, was found to increase monotonically from 1120 G for the as-deposited film to 3550 G for the film quenched from 850/spl deg/C. The coercivity is found for the as-deposited film and the film quenched from 850/spl deg/C, to be 70 and 430 Oe, respectively.