Manganese silicide nanowires via metallic flux nanonucleation: growth mechanism and temperature-dependent resistivity.

Mn5Si3nanowires are believed to be the building blocks of the newest trends of flexible and stretchable devices in nanoelectronics. In this context , growing Mn5Si3nanowires, as well as characterizing their electronic transport properties provide insight into their phenomenology. In this work, we report on the growth mechanism of Mn5Si3nanowires produced by the metallic flux nanonucleation method, as well as the resistivity measurements of these nanostructures. Our calculation allows us, by using the Washburn equation for pore infiltration, to give a guess on why we obtain Mn-rich nanowires. In addition, some morphological aspects of the diameter-modulated Mn5Si3nanowires were discussed based on the classical nucleation theory. From the resistivity measurements for the smallest diameter among the nanowires, we observed a significant reduction of around 37% of the phonons characteristic temperature by fitting the Bloch-Grünesein formula with other sources of scattering. Our results lead to a better understanding on the recent metallic flux nanonucleation growth method, as well as going a step further into the electronic transport properties of the Mn5Si3nanowires.

Single Diameter Modulation Effects on Ni Nanowire Array Magnetization Reversal.

Geometrically modulated magnetic nanowires are a simple yet efficient strategy to modify the magnetic domain wall propagation since a simple diameter modulation can achieve its pinning during the nanowire magnetization reversal. However, in dense systems of parallel nanowires, the stray fields arising at the diameter interface can interfere with the domain wall propagation in the neighboring nanowires. Therefore, the magnetic behavior of diameter-modulated nanowire arrays can be quite complex and depending on both short and long-range interaction fields, as well as the nanowire geometric dimensions. We applied the first-order reversal curve (FORC) method to bi-segmented Ni nanowire arrays varying the wide segment (45-65 nm diameter, 2.5-10.0 µm length). The FORC results indicate a magnetic behavior modification depending on its length/diameter aspect ratio. The distributions either exhibit a strong extension along the coercivity axis or a main distribution finishing by a fork feature, whereas the extension greatly reduces in amplitude. With the help of micromagnetic simulations, we propose that a low aspect ratio stabilizes pinned domain walls at the diameter modulation during the magnetization reversal. In this case, long-range axial interaction fields nucleate a domain wall at the nanowire extremities, while short-range ones could induce a nucleation at the diameter interface. However, regardless of the wide segment aspect ratio, the magnetization reversal is governed by the local radial stray fields of the modulation near null magnetization. Our findings demonstrate the capacity of distinguishing between complex magnetic behaviors involving convoluted interaction fields.

Low-temperature electronic transport of manganese silicide shell-protected single crystal nanowires for nanoelectronics applications.

Recently, core-shell nanowires have been proposed as potential electrical connectors for nanoelectronics components. A promising candidate is Mn5Si3 nanowires encapsulated in an oxide shell, due to their low reactivity and large flexibility. In this work, we investigate the use of the one-step metallic flux nanonucleation method to easily grow manganese silicide single crystal oxide-protected nanowires by performing their structural and electrical characterization. We find that the fabrication method yields a room-temperature hexagonal crystalline structure with the c-axis along the nanowire. Moreover, the obtained nanowires are metallic at low temperature and low sensitive to a strong external magnetic field. Finally, we observe an unknown electron scattering mechanism for small diameters. In conclusion, the one-step metallic flux nanonucleation method yields intermetallic nanowires suitable for both integration in flexible nanoelectronics as well as low-dimensionality transport experiments.

The Role of Cu Length on the Magnetic Behaviour of Fe/Cu Multi-Segmented Nanowires.

A set of multi-segmented Fe/Cu nanowires were synthesized by a two-step anodization process of aluminum substrates and a pulsed electrodeposition technique using a single bath. While both Fe segment length and diameter were kept constant to (30 ± 7) and (45 ± 5) nm, respectively, Cu length was varied between (15 ± 5) and (120 ± 10) nm. The influence of the non-magnetic layer thickness variation on the nanowire magnetic properties was investigated through first-order reversal curve (FORC) measurements and micromagnetic simulations. Our analysis confirmed that, in the multi-segmented Fe/Cu nanowires with shorter Cu segments, the dipolar coupling between Fe segments controls the nanowire magnetic behavior, and its performance is like that of a homogenous Fe nanowire array of similar dimensions. On the other hand, multi-segmented Fe/Cu nanowires with larger Cu segments act like a collection of non-interacting magnetic entities (along the nanowire axis), and their global behavior is mainly controlled by the neighbor-to-neighbor nanodisc dipolar interactions.

Annealing-Based Electrical Tuning of Cobalt-Carbon Deposits Grown by Focused-Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition.

An effective postgrowth electrical tuning, via an oxygen releasing method, to enhance the content of non-noble metals in deposits directly written with gas-assisted focused-electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) is presented. It represents a novel and reproducible method for improving the electrical transport properties of Co-C deposits. The metal content and electrical properties of Co-C-O nanodeposits obtained by electron-induced dissociation of volatile Co2(CO)8 precursor adsorbate molecules were reproducibly tuned by applying postgrowth annealing processes at 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C under high-vacuum for 10 min. Advanced thin film EDX analysis showed that during the annealing process predominantly oxygen is released from the Co-C-O deposits, yielding an atomic ratio of Co:C:O = 100:16:1 (85:14:1) with respect to the atomic composition of as-written Co:C:O = 100:21:28 (67:14:19). In-depth Raman analysis suggests that the amorphous carbon contained in the as-written deposit turns into graphite nanocrystals with size of about 22.4 nm with annealing temperature. Remarkably, these microstructural changes allow for tuning of the electrical resistivity of the deposits over 3 orders of magnitude from 26 mΩ cm down to 26 µΩ cm, achieving a residual resistivity of ρ2K/ρ300 K = 0.56, close to the value of 0.53 for pure Co films with similar dimensions, making it especially interesting and advantageous over the numerous works already published for applications such as advanced scanning-probe systems, magnetic memory, storage, and ferroelectric tunnel junction memristors, as the graphitic matrix protects the cobalt from being oxidized under an ambient atmosphere.

Nanometer Scale Hard/Soft Bilayer Magnetic Antidots.

The effect of arrays of nanometer scale pores on the magnetic properties of thin films has been analyzed. Particularly, we investigated the influence of the out-of-plane magnetization component created by the nanopores on the in-plane magnetic behavior of patterned hard/soft magnetic thin films in antidot morphology. Its influence on the coupling in Co/Py bilayers of few tens of nanometer thick is compared for disordered and ordered antidots of 35-nm diameter. The combination of magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and first-order reversal curve (FORC) technique allows probing the effects of the induced perpendicular magnetization component on the bilayer magnetic behavior, while magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is used to image it. We found that ordered antidots yield a stronger out-of-plane component than disordered ones, influencing in a similar manner the hard layer global in-plane magnetic behavior if with a thin or without soft layer. However, its influence changes with a thicker soft layer, which may be an indication of a weaker coupling.

Red-green emitting and superparamagnetic nanomarkers containing Fe3O4 functionalized with calixarene and rare earth complexes.

The design of bifunctional magnetic luminescent nanomaterials containing Fe3O4 functionalized with rare earth ion complexes of calixarene and ß-diketonate ligands is reported. Their preparation is accessible through a facile one-pot method. These novel Fe3O4@calix-Eu(TTA) (TTA = thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) and Fe3O4@calix-Tb(ACAC) (ACAC = acetylacetonate) magnetic luminescent nanomaterials show interesting superparamagnetic and photonic properties. The magnetic properties (M-H and ZFC/FC measurements) at temperatures of 5 and 300 K were explored to investigate the extent of coating and the crystallinity effect on the saturation magnetization values and blocking temperatures. Even though magnetite is a strong luminescence quencher, the coating of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles with synthetically functionalized rare earth complexes has overcome this difficulty. The intramolecular energy transfer from the T1 excited triplet states of TTA and ACAC ligands to the emitting levels of Eu(3+) and Tb(3+) in the nanomaterials and emission efficiencies are presented and discussed, as well as the structural conclusions from the values of the 4f-4f intensity parameters in the case of the Eu(3+) ion. These novel nanomaterials may act as the emitting layer for the red and green light for magnetic light-converting molecular devices (MLCMDs).

Compact Ag@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles by means of single-step thermal decomposition reaction.

A temperature pause introduced in a simple single-step thermal decomposition of iron, with the presence of silver seeds formed in the same reaction mixture, gives rise to novel compact heterostructures: brick-like Ag@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles. This novel method is relatively easy to implement, and could contribute to overcome the challenge of obtaining a multifunctional heteroparticle in which a noble metal is surrounded by magnetite. Structural analyses of the samples show 4 nm silver nanoparticles wrapped within compact cubic external structures of Fe oxide, with curious rectangular shape. The magnetic properties indicate a near superparamagnetic like behavior with a weak hysteresis at room temperature. The value of the anisotropy involved makes these particles candidates to potential applications in nanomedicine.

Discrete trinuclear copper(II) compounds as building blocks: the influence of the peripheral substituents on the magnetic coupling in oxamato-bridged complexes.

Two new trinuclear copper(ii) complexes without end-capping ligands, (Bu4N)2[Cu(dmso)2{Cu(dnopba)(dmso)}2] () and (Bu4N)2[Cu(dmso)2{Cu(dcopba)(dmso)}2] () [dnopba = 4,5-dinitro-ortho-phenylenebis(oxamate), dcopba = 4,5-dichloro-ortho-phenylenebis(oxamate), Bu4N(+) = tetra-n-butylammonium and dmso = dimethylsulfoxide], were synthesized and their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structures of and consist of two outer bis(oxamato)(dmso)cuprate(ii) units which act as bidentate ligands toward a trans-bis(dmso)copper(ii) inner entity leading to centrosymmetric tricopper(ii) complexes with copper-copper separations across the oxamate bridges of 5.1916(3) () and 5.1776(3) Å (). The peripheral copper(ii) ions in and are five-coordinate in somewhat distorted square pyramidal environments with a dmso molecule filling the apical position whereas the inner copper(ii) ion is six-coordinate in an elongated octahedral environment with two dmso molecules in the axial sites. The investigation of their magnetic properties in the temperature range 2.0-300 K shows the occurrence of a strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic coupling between the copper(ii) ions through the oxamate bridges [J1 = -296(1) () and -334(1) cm(-1) (), the Hamiltonian being defined as H = -J1(SCu2·SCu1 + SCu2·SCu1')], which leads to a low-lying spin doublet at low temperatures. Density functional theory calculations (DFT) have been used to substantiate these magnetic couplings and also to analyse the influence exerted on these interactions by the type of substituent at the 4,5-positions from the phenylene ring of the bis(oxamate) ligand.