Fabrication of Ni nanodots templated by nanoporous polysulfone membrane: Structural and Magnetic properties

Two-dimensional nickel nanodots were prepared using a simple polymer based lithography process on silicon substrates. The nanoporous polysulfone membranes were fabricated using a phase inversion polymerization process. Nickel nanodots were then grown using the polysulfone membrane as a mask. The structures were written by depositing a certain thickness of nickel using electron beam evaporation. After lift off, the structural properties of the samples were studied using atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffractometry. The dots were found to have diameters in the range of 75–120 nm and heights of 3–5 nm. The magnetization and magnetic domain arrangement of the Ni nanodots were analyzed using vibrating sample magnetometer and magnetic force microscopy respectively. The nanodots were found to exhibit excellent soft ferromagnetic properties with a preferred easy axis of magnetization.