Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline zinc manganese ferrite

Zn_xMn_1-xFe₂O₄ is a prototypical soft magnetic material, and commonly used for high-frequency applications due to its low power loss and high permeability and resistivity. Various wet chemistry routes have been developed for synthesizing Zn_xMn _1-xFe₂O₄; however, multistep procedures are usually involved in these methods, making them complex in implementation. Here, we use a facile chelate method to prepare Zn_xMn_1-xFe ₂O₄ sol precursor for fabricating both fine powders and nanocrystalline thin films. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques are used to characterize the microstructure and composition of as-synthesized Zn_xMn_1-xFe₂O₄, and superconducting quantum interface device is used to measure their magnetic properties. The investigation of powders with different Zn/Mn cation concentration indicates that the saturation magnetization is determined by the content parameter x; while the coercive field is closely correlated to the crystal size. Further, Zn_0.4Mn_0.6Fe₂O₄ thin films were deposited using spin-coating technique, and annealed at different temperatures to study the formation of the impurity phase.