Co-Mn cation-deficient ferrite thin films: Interesting ways to tailor their magneto-optical properties

Cation-deficient Co-Mn ferrites were prepared as thin films. Their magneto-optical properties were studied and correlated with the oxidation reactions occurring in the films. The coercivity and remanent Faraday rotation variations could be, in part, attributed to the development of mechanical stresses, which could be revealed by use of grazing-angle X-ray diffraction. Moreover, a directional order could be created in thin films by slow cooling from 350 degrees C. The creation of this reversible phenomenon led to an increase in coercivity without detectable modification of the oxidation and stress states of the samples. Control of the oxidation state and the creation of a directional order allowed modification of the magneto-optical properties of the ferrite thin films over a wide range.