Magnetization control for bit pattern formation of spinel ferromagnetic oxides by Kr ion implantation
As a first step toward the development of bit-patterned magnetic media made of oxides, we investigated the effectiveness of magnetism control by Kr implantation in a typical spinel ferromagnetic oxide, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. We implanted Kr ions accelerated at 30 kV on 13-nm-thick Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} thin films at dosages of (1–40) × 10{sup 14} ions/cm{sup 2}. Magnetization decreased with increase in ion dosages and disappeared when irradiation was greater than 2 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2} of Kr ions. These dosages are more than ten times smaller than that used in the N{sub 2} implantation for metallic and oxide ferromagnets. Both the temperature dependence of magnetization and the Mössbauer study suggest that the transition of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic took place sharply due to Kr ion irradiation, which produces two-phase separation—ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic with insufficient dosage of Kr ions.