Growth of hexagonal ferrite films by liquid phase epitaxy

Single crystal hexagonal ferrite layers were grown by the isothermal dipping method of LPE (liquid phase epitaxy) using a BaO-B
2
O
3
flux. Substrate crystals were of two different types: hexagonal ferrite and Mg(In,Ga)
2
O
4
spinel. By adding ZnO to the LPE melt, three different hexagonal ferrites were deposited: M-type (BaO.6Fe
2
O
3
), Zn
2
Y-type (2BaO.2ZnO.6Fe
2
O
3
) and Zn
2
W-type (BaO.2ZnO.8Fe
2
O
3
). On hexagonal ferrite substrates the deposits formed continuous layers; but on spinel the deposits took the form of hexagonal islands. ZnO concentration in the melt had pronounced effects when spinel substrates were used. For very low ZnO concentrations there was no deposition, while for high concentrations a spinel ferrite phase deposited with the hexagonal ferrite. Over a fairly broad range of intermediate ZnO concentration, hexagonal ferrite deposited as a single phase on the spinel substrates.