Magnetism of Co nanocluster films

Authors

Y. Qiang, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
R.F. Sabiryanov, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Sitaram Jaswal, University of NebraskaFollow
Yi Liu, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
H. Haberland, Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum, Stefan-Meier-Strasse 21, Freiburg, Germany
David J. Sellmyer, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

8-1-2002

Comments

Published by American Physical Society. Phys. Rev. B 66, 064404 (2002). http://prb.aps.org. Copyright © 2002 American Physical Society. Permission to use.

Abstract

A cluster-beam technique is used to produce nearly monodispersed nanoclusters of Co while independently varying their size and concentration. The Co clusters are embedded in Cu and SiO₂ to form films with cluster size varying from 300 to 9000 atoms and Co concentration varying from 10 to 50 vol %. The Co magnetization (M_s) increases with increasing cluster size and decreases with increasing Co concentration for a given cluster size but is always less than the bulk value. First-principles calculations are used to analyze the experimental data in terms of the local environment effects at the cluster-matrix interface and spin-glass-like behavior due to the strong ferro- and antiferromagnetic intercluster exchange interactions for small separations.