Structure and magnetism of dilute Co(Zr) nanoclusters

Authors

Bhaskar Das, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Balamurugan Balamurugan, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Ralph Skomski, University of Nebraska at LincolnFollow
Xingzhong Li, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Pinaki Mukherjee, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
George C. Hadjipanayis, University of DelawareFollow
David J. Sellmyer, NCMNFollow

Date of this Version

2013

Citation

JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS 113, 17B509 (2013); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4795318

Comments

Copyright 2013 American Institute of Physics

Abstract

Co(Zr) nanoclusters having a small fraction of Zr (≤ 7.8 at. %) were produced using a cluster deposition method and aligned using a magnetic field of about 5 kOe prior to deposition. This study shows that Zr addition to Co nanoclusters improves the fraction of hexagonal close-packed structure, magnetic anisotropy, and easy-axis alignment process. Co(Zr) nanoclusters having 7.8 at. % of Zr exhibit a considerably enhanced magnetic anisotropy constant K₁ ≈ 6.7 Mergs/cm³ and coercivity H_c ≈700 Oe at 300 K as compared to those of Co nanoclusters (K₁≈ 2.9 Mergs/cm³ and H_c ≈180 Oe).