Sputter-deposition of c-axis perpendicularly oriented hexagonal barium ferrite (BaM: BaFe12O19, and BaW: BaFe18O27) thin films was attempted by means of an alternate periodic deposition of Fe3O4 layer (S-layer) and BaFe6O11 layer (R-layer). BaM film with c-axis orientation was obtained at temperatures above 540 degrees C, in which control of the thickness of both S-layer and R-layer was very important to obtain a BaM thin film with c-axis orientation. BaW film, however, was not obtained at the periodic layer deposition condition corresponding to the BaW crystal (S-layer = 9.3 Angstrom, R-layer = 6.9 Angstrom). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.