Multifunctional ferrimagnetic-ferroelectric thin films for microwave applications

Abstract

Ferrimagnetic and ferroelectric structures based on barium strontium titanate and barium hexaferrite are investigated for potential applications in tunable microwave devices. Thin film bilayers were grown on MgO and sapphire, and their underlying crystallographic, microstructural, and magnetic properties were analyzed and compared. Microcircuits were fabricated using optical lithography, and microwave properties and electrical tunability were measured in the range of 1–50GHz. Overall, the studies demonstrate the possibility of realizing high quality multifunctional microwave materials that combine tunable magnetic and dielectric properties.