Origin of line broadening in Co-substituted NiZnCu ferrites

A systematic variation in linewidth with Co concentration at the X band (9.38 GHz) was observed in polycrystalline Co-substituted NiZnCu ferrites. Also, the temperature dependence of the linewidth and complex permeability were measured for two different Co concentrations. The linewidth shows a minimum with Co concentration. The contribution of porosity, magnetic anisotropy, and eddy current to line broadening was calculated. The line broadening due to eddy current was negligible and the line broadening due to porosity and magnetic anisotropy explain well the variation of linewidth with Co concentration. The temperature at which the linewidth increases rapidly increases with Co concentration. This temperature is consistent with the temperature of the second maximum peak in the temperature dependence of permeability. Therefore, the rapid increase in linewidth with temperature is attributed to the rapid increase in magnetocrystalline anisotropy of divalent cobalt ions. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021- 8979(00)28608-8].