Abstract
Half-metallic nanocrystalline magnetite (Fe3O4) thin films, with different thicknesses were developed on polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) substrates, by reactive sputtering at room temperature. Fe3O4 film (200-nm thick)/PET heterostructures possess superior electrical and magnetic characteristics, with a Verwey transition temperature (T-v) of similar to 122 K and a saturation magnetization (M-s) similar to 361 emu/cm(3). Furthermore, the antiferromagnetic (AFM)-coupled antiphase boundaries (APBs) controlled the transport properties of the Fe3O4 thin films, due to the tunneling of spin-polarized electrons through the films. Very-high magnetoresistance (MR) value (-8.9%) were observed for HPilm plane, constructed from Fe3O4 (200-nm thick)/PET when H values were below 60 kOe at 300 K. In addition, flexibility tests, to examine resistivity, M-H and MR, were performed using with 90 degrees and 45 degrees bent angles and cyclability experiments were implemented to validate the reproducibility of these characteristics. These outcomes demonstrated that Fe3O4/PET heterostructures may represent a promising candidate for flexible/wearable spintronics.