Magnetic properties of arrays of interacting Co nanocrystals

Monodisperse Co FCC nanocrystals with 12 nm diameter were self-assembled into regular quasi-two-dimensional triangular periodic arrays on carbon substrates from a toluene-based colloidal suspension. At 300 K the regular arrays show a collective magnetic behaviour due to dipolar coupling. A remanent magnetization with an easy axis in the film-plane and an uniaxial in-plane anisotropy field of 0.037 T were determined by SQUID magnetometry and angular dependent ferromagnetic resonance.     

Magnetic and microstructural characterizations of CoFe and CoFeB nanowires

Magnetic and microstructural characterizations of cobalt-rich CoFe and CoFeB nanowires fabricated in commercially available alumite templates were investigated. The modifications in magnetic and microstructural behaviors of crystalline CoFe and amorphous CoFeB nanowires were observed after magnetic field annealing and reannealing of the samples.     

Magnetic properties of Co films and Co/Pt multilayers deposited on PDMS nanostructures

The magnetic properties of magnetron sputtered Co films (with in-plane anisotropy) and Co/Pt multilayers (with perpendicular anisotropy) deposited on elastomeric poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films and nanostructured templates are presented. Apart from the etched nanosize features, maze-like submicron features develop after the sputter deposition as a result of film buckling due to thermal contraction of the underlying PDMS layer. The nanostructured templates can physically isolate the magnetic entities but magnetic correlations within the range of the buckling features remain. By using oblique deposition geometries in-plane anisotropy develops and it is transferred to the PDMS buckling patterns. In the case of Co/Pt multilayers deposition on PDMS nanostructured templates results in a loss of the perpendicular anisotropy, attributed to the acuteness of the PDMS nanostructures.     

Magnetic properties of Co films deposited onto obliquely sputtered Ta underlayers

Gold-capped Co films deposited on obliquely sputtered Ta underlayers have produced coercivities in excess of 400 Oe, and anisotropy fields of 800 Oe. The coercivity increases with Ta deposition angle and thickness. The coercivity and anisotropy can be increased further to values >600 and 900 Oe, respectively, by replacing the Au capping layer with Cu. Films with an obliquely deposited underlayer exhibit a reduced density and an increased interface roughness compared to normally deposited films. The trilayers fabricated in this study show promising results for use in giant magnetoresistance sensors.     

Magnetic properties of Co clusters deposited on Pt(111)

Using the fully relativistic version of the Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker method for electronic structure calculations within local spin density functional theory, the magnetic and spectroscopic properties of Co clusters deposited on Pt(111) have been investigated. Of central interest was the role of spin–orbit coupling, since it influences the spontaneous formation and orientation of magnetic moments and gives rise among other things to the occurrence of orbital magnetic moments, magnetic anisotropy energy and magnetic circular dichroism in X-ray absorption. The results have been complemented by calculations of the exchange coupling parameters J_ij used within Monte Carlo simulations on the basis of the extended classical Heisenberg Hamiltonian. This allowed us to simulate the magnetic properties at finite temperatures, which are of central importance for applications. PACS 73.20.-r; 71.15.Rf; 73.22.-f; 87.64.Ni     

Angular dependence of the coercivity and remanence of ordered arrays of Co nanowires

The angular dependence of the coercivity and remanence of ordered hexagonal arrays of Co nanowires prepared using anodic aluminum oxide templates was investigated. The experimental evolution of coercivity as a function of the angle, in which the external field is applied, is interpreted considering micromagnetic simulations. Depending on the angle between the axis of the wire and the applied magnetic field direction our results show that the magnetization reversal mode changes from vortex to a transverse domain wall. Besides, we observed that the dipolar interactions cause a reduction in coercive fields, mainly in the direction of easy magnetization of the nanowires. Good agreement between numerical and experimental data is obtained.     

Magnetic behaviour of arrays of nickel nanowires with small diameter

Arrays of nickel nanowires have been fabricated within a template of porous alumina by electrochemical deposition. Measurements of magnetic hysteresis loops were performed at room temperature with a vibrating sample magnetometer. Coercivity and squareness of the arrays are closely related to l/D and diameter of the nanowires, and the angle θ between the normal line of the alumina surface and the applied magnetic field. For the same diameter of 10 nm, the coercivity and squareness increase remarkably with l/D when the l/D is less than 100. The diameter and angle θ dependences of coercivity do not follow the relationships of curling, fanning or coherent rotation mode of magnetization while thermal activation for magnetization reversal becomes remarkable for the arrays of Ni nanowires with the diameter less than 18 nm but the same l/D of 50. The coercivity of the arrays with the magnetic field perpendicular to the film surface is linear with D^−3/2 of Ni nanowires. From the fitting line, the critical diameter for superparamagnetism at room temperature and pure coercivity for such Ni nanowire arrays are found to be 6 nm and 1200 Oe respectively.     

Influence of thickness of electrochemically deposited hole-transport film on electroluminescent properties

Polybithiophene (PBTh) film was used as a hole-transport layer in an electroluminescent (EL) device. The PBTh was electropolymerized on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass acting as a working electrode. From the change of full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the EL spectrum with the thickness of the PBTh film, it could be deduced that the PBTh film efficiently blocks the injection of electrons into the ITO electrode. The thickness of the hole-transport layer used in the EL device has a significant influence on the EL intensity and efficiency. Experimental data showed that there is an optimal thickness of the electrodeposited PBTh-hole-transport layer for high-efficiency EL devices.     

Effect of annealing on properties of electrochemically deposited CdTe thin films

Thin films of CdTe have been deposited onto stainless steel and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates from aqueous acidic bath using electrodeposition technique. The different preparative parameters, such as deposition time, bath temperature and pH of the bath have been optimized by photoelectrochemical (PEC) technique to get good quality photosensitive material. The deposited films are annealed at different temperature in presence of air. Annealing temperature is also optimized by PEC technique. The film annealed at 200 °C showed maximum photosensitivity. Different techniques have been used to characterize as deposited and also as annealed (at 200 °C) CdTe thin film. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the polycrystalline nature, and a significant increase in the XRD peak intensities is observed for the CdTe films after annealing. Optical absorption shows the presence of direct transition with band gap energy 1.64 eV and after annealing it decreases to 1.50 eV. Energy dispersive analysis by X-ray (EDAX) study for the as-deposited and annealed films showed nearly stoichiometric compound formation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that spherically shaped grains are more uniformly distributed over the surface of the substrate for the CdTe film.     

Magnetic properties of epitaxial Co nanodisk arrays packed on atomically smooth and vicinal Si substrates

Arrays of circular nanodisks have been formed from epitaxial Co films deposited on atomically smooth and vicinal Si(111) single crystals by using a focused Ga⁺ ion beam. The surface roughness has been determined by scanning tunneling microscopy. The coercive force and the processes of magnetization reversal in films and arrays of epitaxial Co nanodisks have been studied. It has been shown that the coercive force of the Co nanodisk arrays on the atomically smooth Si(111) surface is larger and that on the vicinal Si(111) surface is smaller than that in the epitaxial films. The studies of the magnetic structure of the nanodisks by magnetic-force microscopy in combination with the micromagnetic simulation have shown that the processes of magnetization reversal in the nanodisks on the atomically smooth substrates occur through the vortex-like states and, on the vicinal substrates, through the C-type state.     

Structural and magnetic properties of single-step electrochemically deposited nanocrystalline cobalt ferrite thin films

In this paper, we study the structural, surface morphological and magnetic properties of single-step electrochemically deposited cobalt ferrite thin films. The prepared films were nanocrystalline with cubic crystal structure. Scanning electron micrograph image showed that the cobalt ferrite thin film was uniformly distributed over the substrate in addition to some random overgrowth of porous particles. The saturation magnetization of 298 emu/c was confirmed when films were used in magnetic studies.     

Unique structural and transport properties of molybdenum chalcohalide nanowires

We combine ab initio density functional and quantum transport calculations based on the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism to compare structural, electronic, and transport properties of Mo6S6-xIx nanowires with carbon nanotubes. We find systems with x=2 to be particularly stable and rigid, with their electronic structure and conductance close to that of metallic (13,13) single-wall carbon nanotubes. Mo6S6-xIx nanowires are conductive irrespective of their structure, more easily separable than carbon nanotubes, and capable of forming ideal contacts to Au leads through thio groups.     

Magnetic properties of hexagonal ferrite dot arrays

Patterned magnetic media have been considered as one of the promising candidates for future ultra-high-density magnetic recording. In this paper, a new kind of patterned medium based on hexagonal ferrite have been studied. We have successfully fabricated strontium ferrite dot arrays by electron beam lithography. Their magnetic properties are evaluated by magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The results show the dot arrays have perpendicular anisotropy. Dots with the lateral size larger than 500 nm show multidomain magnetization configuration in the initial magnetization state. However, with dot size decreased to 500 nm, all the dots have single-domain configuration both in the initial magnetization state and remanent magnetization state.     

Comparison of the structural,electronic and magnetic properties of Fe,Co and Ni nanowires encapsulated into silicon carbide nanotube

A similar optimized structure, i.e. a near square cross-section shape for outside nanotube and a relative rotation between nanowire and its outside nanotube, is obtained for the transition-metal M₁₃ (M = Fe, Co, Ni) nanowires with the FCC structure encapsulated inside the armchair (8, 8) silicon carbide nanotube [ M₁₃@(8, 8)] . It is also found that the stabilities of M₁₃ nanowires are enhanced by silicon carbide nanotube encapsulation. Although the spin polarization P of each hybrid system is slightly lowered with respect to the corresponding free-standing nanowire, the largest spin polarization value 71% of Co₁₃@(8, 8) among the three hybrid systems suggests it could be utilized to construct efficient spin transport devices. As compared with the corresponding free-standing nanowire, the magnetic moments μ₁ and μ₂ for the peripheral M₁ (especially) and M₂ atoms are decreased, while the magnetic moments μ₃ and μ₄ for the interior M₃ and M₄ atoms are increased for each M₁₃@(8, 8) hybrid system. In particular, different from the bulk FCC Fe that is antiferromagnetic, the minimum energy magnetic structure of FCC Fe₁₃ free-standing nanowire is ferromagnetic. Furthermore, contrary to the cases of Co₁₃ and Ni₁₃ nanowires, the ferromagnetism is further enhanced after Fe₁₃ nanowire is encapsulated inside (8, 8) silicon carbide nanotube.     

Optical and structural properties of Eu-diffused and doped ZnO nanowires

Single crystal ZnO nanowires diffused with europium (Eu) from a solid source at 900 °C for 1 h or doped with Eu during growth have been characterized. The ZnO nanowires were grown by chemical vapor deposition on Si substrates employing Au as a catalyst. The diameter of the resulting nanowires was 200 nm with a length of 1 μm. Photoluminescence spectra excited by a He–Cd laser at room temperature showed the green luminescence at 515 nm in Eu-diffused nanowires. A small red shift of near-band-edge emission of ZnO nanowires was observed in the diffused wires, but sharp emission from Eu³ ions was not present. Transmission electron microscopy shows crystalline Eu₂O₃ formation on the diffused nanowire surface, which forms a coaxial heterostructure system. When Eu was incorporated during the nanowire growth, the sharp ⁵D_O–⁷F₂ transition of the Eu³⁺ ion at around 615 nm was observed.     

Magnetic behaviour of arrays of Ni nanowires by electrodeposition into self-aligned titania nanotubes

Arrays of Ni nanowires electrodeposited into self-aligned and randomly disordered titania nanotube arrays grown by anodization process are investigated by X-ray diffraction, SEM, rf-GDOES and VSM magnetometry. The titania nanotube outer diameter is about 160 nm, wall thickness ranging from 60 to 70 nm and 300 nm in depth. The so-obtained Ni nanowires reach above 100 nm diameter and 240 nm length, giving rise to coercive fields of 98 and 200 Oe in the perpendicular or parallel to the nanowires axis hysteresis loops, respectively. The formation of magnetic vortex domain states is also discussed.     

电化学沉积Fe与FePd纳米线阵列的磁性

利用电化学沉积方法在氧化铝模板中制备了一维Fe和Fe_095Pd_{0 05}合金纳米线阵列.两种样品均有(110)晶向择优取向，纳米线直径为60nm.在这一直径下形状各向异性 和内禀晶体各向异性的竞争结果很适合考察Pd掺杂的磁性行为.研究发现在FePd纳米线中， 由于极少量Pd在Fe中的合金化，减弱了晶体各向异性与形状各向异性的影响，改变了磁畴结 构，增强了畴壁钉扎作用，结果在Fe_095Pd_005纳米线 中便显示出强烈的沿线方向的各向异性，方形度和矫顽力也有较大改善. 关键词： 纳米线 电化学沉积 磁性