Barium Ferrite CIF Download & Metadata Checker
Get a cited BaFe₁₂O₁₉ barium hexaferrite file or check your formula, space group and cell dimensions. A metadata match is a starting point for review.
What the CIF can help you decide
Barium ferrite lattice parameters: COD 1008327
These are record-specific values, not universal constants for every barium ferrite. The original file is preserved in the tool. Read the source CIF.
| Field | Recorded value | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Formula and Z | Ba Fe12 O19; Z = 2 | Composition and formula units recorded in COD 1008327. |
| Space group | P 63/m m c; No. 194 | Hexagonal magnetoplumbite reference setting. |
| a = b | 5.9281(4) Å | Source value; parentheses preserve the reported uncertainty. |
| c | 23.407(1) Å | Use the dimensions from the same record as the atomic model. |
| α, β, γ | 90°, 90°, 120° | Cell angles in this hexagonal setting. |
| Fe2 split site | Multiplicity 4; occupancy 0.5 | Preserve the occupancy; changing it changes the expanded atom count. |
| Measurement temperature | Not specified in this CIF | Consult the original paper; do not label the file as a room-temperature standard. |
Why another reference may use different dimensions
| Reference | a = b (Å) | c (Å) | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| COD 1008327 (default file) | 5.9281(4) | 23.407(1) | Use its complete coordinates, symmetry and occupancies. Confirm conditions in the original study. |
| ICSD 201654, cited in the 2024 heterostructure study | 5.892 | 23.183 | Obtain that record separately if it matches your research conditions. Do not overwrite only the cell in the COD model. |
| Your sample | Unknown until measured/refined | Unknown until measured/refined | Composition and experimental evidence are needed; a grade name cannot supply them. |
Comparison sources: COD CIF and 2024 study, bulk reference parameters.
How the metadata screen works
This is a local, deterministic comparison with deliberately broad screening tolerances. Tolerances are our interface rules, not experimental uncertainty or acceptance limits. CIF 1.1 defines the file syntax.
| Check | Rule | Limit / recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | Only Ba, Fe and O; normalize to a 1:12:19 ratio. | Extra elements flag a mismatch. Missing or unsupported formula notation is inconclusive. |
| Space group | P 63/m m c (also P6_3/mmc) or numeric No. 194; supplied aliases must agree. | Reads _space_group_name_H-M_alt / _symmetry_space_group_name_H-M and _space_group_IT_number / _symmetry_Int_Tables_number. No symmetry expansion. |
| Cell lengths | Positive a, b, c; a and b within 0.5%; a and c within ±5% of COD 1008327. | Coarse warning for scale/setting conflicts. Valid alternative cells can fall outside this window. |
| Cell angles | 90°, 90°, 120°, each within 0.1°. | The conventional hexagonal setting is assumed. |
| Input and atomic data | One block, up to 200,000 characters; balanced loop rows; presence of x/y/z coordinate columns. | Coordinates, occupancies, atom counts after symmetry expansion and magnetic data are not validated. |
Choose a next step from the result
| Result | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent metadata | The supported fields agree with the coarse BaM rules; atomic data remain unchecked. | Keep the source citation and inspect the full model before comparison with measured diffraction. |
| Metadata differs | At least one supplied formula, symmetry or cell value conflicts with the rules. | Check composition, units and cell setting against the original record. Do not edit just to obtain a match. |
| Insufficient metadata | A required value or fractional-coordinate loop is missing or cannot be interpreted. | Retrieve the complete CIF; use the cited example to identify missing fields. |
| Input needs attention | Input is empty, oversized, ambiguous or outside the supported CIF syntax. | Repair the listed issue, select one block, or use a full crystallography parser. |
From a source file to a defensible result
- Keep the original CIF, record identifier and publication together.
- Screen metadata, then inspect the full model in crystallography software.
- Compare candidate phases with measured diffraction data before drawing sample conclusions.
Three practical checks before refinement
| Input / premise | Process and output | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Unchanged COD example | Run the screen: consistent metadata; 11 coordinate rows detected, not validated. | Preserve the file and citation; check experimental conditions and the full atomic model. |
| BaFe12O19 formula with P 1 symmetry | Run the screen: metadata mismatch, even though the formula is familiar. | Verify the source and cell setting. Do not rename the symmetry merely to make it pass. |
| Formula-only text or a file missing cell dimensions | Run the screen: insufficient metadata; missing fields are listed. | Retrieve the complete source CIF or load the example to see the required fields. |
A reproducible metadata check

Misuse, cost and application risks
Sources and evidence boundaries
Published and last reviewed by FerriteCustom. See our editorial and corrections policy. Source provenance and the limits of our software checks are distinguished below.
No universal thermal-expansion coefficient, dopant threshold or grade-specific chemistry is established by these sources. Obtain measurements or a directly applicable study before adding temperature or substitution effects to a model.
Barium ferrite CIF questions
Where does the downloadable barium ferrite CIF come from?
The default is an unchanged public-domain snapshot of COD 1008327, retrieved on 21 September 2026. It retains the authors, journal reference, DOI, symmetry operations, atomic coordinates and occupancies.
Does this tool generate a new crystal structure?
No. It reads the supplied metadata and lets you copy or download the current text unchanged. It does not invent, optimize or refine atomic coordinates.
Does “metadata is consistent” mean my CIF is valid?
No. The formula ratio, space-group tags and cell dimensions passed a coarse comparison. Coordinate rows are counted but not validated. Use a crystallography application and a suitable validation service for the full model.
Why are the cell dimensions different from 5.892 Å and 23.183 Å?
Those values are cited for ICSD 201654 in the linked 2024 paper. The downloadable COD 1008327 record contains 5.9281(4) Å and 23.407(1) Å. Keep the values and conditions attached to their own records; this page does not establish the cause of their difference.
Is the example a room-temperature standard?
The COD file does not specify measurement temperature. Confirm the conditions in the original study before using it as a quantitative reference. The page does not assume room temperature.
Why does occupancy matter?
The COD Fe2 site has multiplicity 4 and occupancy 0.5, contributing two Fe atoms per cell. Replacing that occupancy with 1 would change the count. This checker does not recompute the full structural stoichiometry.
Can I paste several CIF data blocks?
Paste one complete data_ block at a time. Multiple blocks are rejected so metadata from different structures cannot be combined into one result.
Which numeric and tag formats are supported?
The checker reads CIF 1.1 comments, quoted text, semicolon text fields, decimal and scientific-notation numbers with optional trailing uncertainty. It recognizes legacy symmetry tags and the modern space-group name and number aliases listed below.
Can it analyze Sr ferrite, doped Ba ferrite or magnetic CIFs?
These are outside its BaFe12O19 metadata comparison. A mismatch is not proof that such a material is invalid. CIF 2.0 containers and magnetic symmetry interpretation require an appropriate external application.
How do I recover from an input error?
Restore missing values or complete loop rows from the original source, select just one block, or load the cited COD example. Files over 200,000 characters need a smaller selected block or a desktop parser.
Is my pasted file uploaded?
The checker processes text locally in your browser. Copy and download use that text. Opening an external validation site does not automatically submit your file.
What do I do after the metadata check?
Save the source citation, review the full atomic model in crystallography software and use measured diffraction data for phase analysis. For magnet purchasing, prepare a drawing and magnetic test requirements instead.
Explore ferrite materials
Moving from research to a magnet order?
Prepare your drawing, dimensions, tolerances and magnetic test requirements for a manufacturing quote. The CIF remains a research reference.
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