Structure and dielectric properties of thin nanocrystalline ZnFe2O4 films

Optically transparent high-quality nanosized crystalline zinc ferrite thin films on different substrates have been synthesized by the decomposition of organic zinc and iron (III) compounds. According to scanning probe microscopy study, the films are 40-50 nm thick and their surface consists of densely spaced uniformly oriented crystallites with morphology depending on the substrate. X-ray diffraction analysis has shown that the films are polycrystalline and ZnFe2O4 has a cubic spinel structure. The dielectric constant lies in the range of 53 divided by 54. The films are spontaneously polarized with a residual polarization of about 0.59 , 0.69 mu C.cm(-2) the coercive field is (8 divided by 12).10(4) V/cm.