Mass-filtered cobalt clusters in contact with epitaxially ordered metal surfaces

Mass-filtered cobalt clusters with a size between 5 nm and 12 nm have been deposited in situ under soft-landing conditions onto epitaxially ordered iron and nickel films. The spin and orbital moments of both the clusters as well as the substrate films have been investigated using the element-specific method of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism in photoabsorption. Here, the ferromagnetic films with in-plane magnetic anisotropies have been used to magnetize the clusters remanently without applying external magnetic fields during the measurements. Experimental results from the cobalt clusters are discussed with respect to the different substrates. Furthermore, the influence of oxygen exposure on the spin and orbital moments of cobalt clusters has been investigated in in situ oxidation experiments. PACS 73.22.-f; 75.70.-i; 75.75.+a; 81.07.-b