High temperature ferromagnetism and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Fe-doped In2O3 films

High temperature ferromagnetism and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy were observed in Fe-doped In2O3 magnetic semiconductor films deposited on R-cut sapphire by pulse laser deposition. The films show a Curie temperature as high as 927 K. Strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with a remnant magnetization ratio of 0.77 and a coercivity of 680 Oe is demonstrated. Extensive microstructure, composition, and magnetic studies indicate that Fe element incorporates into the indium oxide lattice by substituting the position of indium atoms, which suggests the observed ferromagnetism is intrinsic rather than from Fe clusters or any other magnetic impurity phases. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.