Magnetic anisotropy and domain structure in epitaxial CoFe2O4 thin films

Abstract

Magnetic properties of ${\mathrm{CoFe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_4$ thin films epitaxially grown on (100) MgO by pulsed layer deposition are controlled by substrate temperature and film thickness. At 300 °C a strong dependence of magnetic anisotropy on thickness is observed indicating that stress is dominant. However at 800 °C magnetic properties are less sensitive to film thickness suggesting that magnetocrystalline is the only prevailing form of anisotropy. We also show that magnetic domains exhibit a cluster-like structure rather than stripe.