An important sputtering material, widely applied in industrial fields such as magnetic memory and electronic devices due to its excellent magnetic energy, good electrical thermal conductivity, and low cost.

1. Characteristics

１）Excellent magnetic energy

・Ferromagnetism: Iron is a typical ferromagnetic material, suitable for Curie temperature (770°C) and magnetic thin film     

      production.

・High saturation magnetization (~2.2 T) that can be used for high density magnetic recording media.

２）Good electrical and thermal conductivity

・Electrical conductivity: Approx. 1.0 x 10 x S/m, suitable for electromagnetic shielding and conductive thin films.

・Thermal conductivity: about 80 W/(m-K), which helps heat dissipation during sputtering.

３）High melting point and mechanical strength

・Melting point: 1538°C, suitable for medium to high temperature sputtering technology.

・High hardness (HV≈80-120), good wear resistance, suitable for tool coating.

４）Chemical stability and controllability

・Pure iron is easy to oxidation in wet environments, but corrosion resistance can be improved by alloying with 

Fe-Ni, Fe-Co, etc or by surface passivation.

・It can be mixed with other elements such as Si, Al, etc. to adjust electromagnetic properties.

2. Main Applications

１）Magnetic memory and sensors

・Hard disk drive (HDD): For thin film deposition of magnetic recording media.

・Magnetic sensors: Hall sensors and magnetoresistive sensors for automotive electronics and industrial inspection.

・Magnetic random memory (MRAM): as ferromagnetic layer material.

２）Electronics and semiconductor

・Electromagnetic shielding layer：Interference-resistant coatings for electronic devices such as cell phones and personal computers.

・Inductance and transformer films：Improve performance of high-frequency devices.

３）Industrial coatings and tool coatings

・Wear-resistant coatings：Coatings on surfaces to extend the usage life of tools and molds.

・Corrosion resistant plating layer：Alloying (e.g., Fe-Cr) to increase corrosion resistance and use in ships and chemical plants.

４）New energy and catalyst fields

・Lithium-ion battery electrode materials：Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) thin film formation.

・Catalyst carrier：Fuel cell and catalyst reactions for chemical industry.