Thin films of γ-Fe
2O
3 have been studied for application in high-density magnetic recording media because of their superior magnetic properties, wear resistance and chemical stability. Several processes were proposed for the fabrication of the γ-Fe
2O
3. We have been investigating the γ-Fe
2O
3 films preparation process consisting of Fe
3O
4 film deposition and heat treatment. Fe
3O
4 film were deposited by the reactive RF magnetron sputtering of an iron tatget in Ar+ O
2 atmosphere and then transformed into γ-Fe
2O
3 films by the oxidation heat treatment. We report on the high rate of deposition of Fe
3O
4 films by magnetron sputtering. The deposition rate of Fe
3O
4 film by magnetron sputtering was about five times higher than that by diode sputtering. Fe
3O
4 films were transformed into γ-Fe
2O
3 films by heat treatment in air. The magnetic properties of γ-Fe
2O
3 films obtained in the above experiment were as good as those by the diode sputtering method.
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