Dielectric behavior of spin-deposited nanocrystalline nickel-zinc ferrite thin films processed by citrate-route

Nanocrystalline nickel-zinc ferrite thin films with the general formula Ni_1−xZn_xFe₂O₄, where x=0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 were fabricated via a chemical route known as the citrate precursor route. These films were spin-deposited on indium-tin oxide coated glass, fused quartz and amorphous Si-wafer substrates, and annealed at various temperatures up to 650 °C. The films annealed below 400 °C were found to be X-ray amorphous, while the films annealed at and above 400 °C were polycrystalline exhibiting a single-phase spinel structure. The average grain size of the films evaluated by transmission electron microscopy, is found to be in the range 4-8.5 nm. The room temperature DC resistivity of the films is in the range 10³-10⁷ Ω m. Dielectric constant and dielectric loss were measured in the frequency range 100 Hz-1 MHz. Dielectric constant of the films is found to lie between 25 and 44, while the loss factor is if the order of 10⁻². The higher values of the dielectric constant for films having higher zinc concentration are attributable to the enhanced hopping between Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions in these samples. The M-H hysteresis measurement of the nickel ferrite thin films annealed at 650 °C showed narrow hysteresis loop—a characteristic of soft ferromagnetic material.