ABSTRACT
In this paper, we present some specific chemical and magnetic order obtained very recently on characteristic bimetallic nanoalloys prepared by mass-selected Low Energy Cluster Beam Deposition (LECBD). We study how the competition between d-atom hybridization, complex structure, morphology and chemical affinity affects their intrinsic magnetic properties at the nanoscale. The structural and magnetic properties of these nanoalloys were investigated using various experimental techniques that include High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry, as well as synchrotron techniques such as Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) and X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD). Depending on the chemical nature of the nanoalloys we observe different magnetic responses compared to their bulk counterparts. In particular, we show how specific relaxation in nanoalloys impacts their magnetic anisotropy; and how finite size effects (size reduction) inversely enhance their magnetic moment.
Subject(s)
Magnetics , Metal Nanoparticles , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform InfraredABSTRACT
In sharp contrast to previous studies on FeRh bulk, thin films, and nanoparticles, we report the persistence of ferromagnetic order down to 3 K for size-selected 3.3 nm diameter nanocrystals embedded into an amorphous carbon matrix. The annealed nanoparticles have a B2 structure with alternating atomic Fe and Rh layers. X-ray magnetic dichroism and superconducting quantum interference device measurements demonstrate ferromagnetic alignment of the Fe and Rh magnetic moments of 3 and 1µ(B), respectively. The ferromagnetic order is ascribed to the finite-size induced structural relaxation observed in extended x-ray absorption spectroscopy.