Enhanced Magnetoresistance in Fe3O4/Si Thin Films Prepared by Rapid Thermal Deoxidation Method

Enhanced magnetoresistance (MR) has been observed in Fe3O4/Si thin films prepared by rapid thermal deoxidation (RTD) method. By use of the sputtering technique, 100nm-thick -Fe2O3 thin films were grown on Si substrates. Those films were deoxidized and varied to Fe3O4 films by RTD method. Electrical resistivity (ER) and magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of the Fe3O4/Si thin films with and without the RTD were measured between 4K and 300K. The ER of the Fe3O4/Si thin film without the RTD showed the temperature dependence of the variable range hopping conduction. The ER of Fe3O4/Si thin films with the RTD showed a kink at around the Verwey transition temperature. The MR ratio of the sample without the RTD is small and monotonically decreases with increasing the temperature. For the samples with the RTD, it is found that the MR ratios are drastically increased as compared with the sample without the RTD.Enhanced magnetoresistance (MR) has been observed in Fe3O4/Si thin films prepared by rapid thermal deoxidation (RTD) method. By use of the sputtering technique, 100nm-thick -Fe2O3 thin films were grown on Si substrates. Those films were deoxidized and varied to Fe3O4 films by RTD method. Electrical resistivity (ER) and magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of the Fe3O4/Si thin films with and without the RTD were measured between 4K and 300K. The ER of the Fe3O4/Si thin film without the RTD showed the temperature dependence of the variable range hopping conduction. The ER of Fe3O4/Si thin films with the RTD showed a kink at around the Verwey transition temperature. The MR ratio of the sample without the RTD is small and monotonically decreases with increasing the temperature. For the samples with the RTD, it is found that the MR ratios are drastically increased as compared with the sample without the RTD.