Optical and magnetic properties of (gamma)-iron oxide made by reactive pulsed laser deposition

Iron-oxide films were grown by reactive pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from a metallic Fe target in a controlled oxygen environment. Films of (gamma)-Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ grew epitaxially on MgO with an iron-deficient stoichiometry. The saturation magnetization was 400+19 kA/m. The Faraday rotation was 1.9 deg/(mu)m at 645 nm, and the absorption coefficient varied between 4 and 30 (mu)m/sup -1/ in the wavelength range of 300-2000 nm. The properties are compared to those of (gamma)-Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ grown by PLD from an oxide target.