Title :
High-moment films produced by assembling nanoclusters
Author :
Binns, C. ; Louch, S. ; Baker, S.H. ; Edmonds, K.W. ; Maher, M.J. ; Thornton, S.C.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys. & Astron., Leicester Univ., UK
Abstract :
We have used X-ray magnetic circular dichroism to determine the orbital and spin moments in exposed and embedded mass-selected Fe nanoclusters (250-550 atoms) deposited in situ using a gas aggregation source. The isolated and exposed particles have a total moment that increases with decreasing cluster size and reaches 2.4 μB in 250-atom clusters. Although this is enhanced relative to the bulk, it is smaller than found in free clusters of the same size. Coating the exposed clusters with Co, however, increases the spin moment to 2.6 μB. The prospects for producing high-moment materials by cluster assembly are discussed.
Keywords :
X-ray absorption spectra; cobalt; electron spin; ferromagnetic materials; iron; magnetic moments; magnetic thin films; monolayers; nanostructured materials; self-assembly; Co coating; Co-Fe; X-ray magnetic circular dichroism; cluster assembly; cluster size; embedded mass-selected Fe nanoclusters; exposed particles; gas aggregation source; high-moment films; isolated particles; nanocluster assembly; nanomagnetism; orbital moments; spin moments; Assembly; Atomic layer deposition; Atomic measurements; Cobalt alloys; Extraterrestrial measurements; Iron alloys; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic films; Magnetic materials; Saturation magnetization;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2002.988926
