Advances in magnetic films of epsilon-iron oxide toward next-generation high-density recording media

Iron oxide magnets, which are composed of the common elements iron and oxygen, are called ferrite magnets. They have diverse applications because they are chemically stable and inexpensive. Epsilon-iron oxide (epsilon-Fe2O3) is a polymorph that shows an extremely large coercive field as a magnetic oxide. It maintains its ferromagnetic ordering even when downsized to a single nano-sized scale (i.e.,<10 nm). Due to these characteristics, epsilon-Fe2O3 is highly expected to be used for high-density magnetic recording media in the big data era. Here, we describe the recent developments of magnetic films composed of metal-substituted epsilon-iron oxide, epsilon-MxFe(2-x)O(3) (M: substitution metal), toward the next-generation of magnetic media.

Automated summary

Iron oxide magnets, known as ferrite magnets, are compounds of iron and oxygen that have various applications due to their chemical stability and low cost. Epsilon-iron oxide, a polymorph with a large coercive field, retains its ferromagnetic ordering even when nano-sized, making it a promising candidate for high-density magnetic recording media in the era of big data. Recent advancements in magnetic films composed of metal-substituted epsilon-iron oxide aim to pave the way for the next generation of magnetic media.