Influence of the shape and surface oxidation in the magnetization reversal of thin iron nanowires grown by focused electron beam induced deposition

Luis A. Rodríguez (1) , Lorenz Deen (1) , Rosa Córdoba (1) , César Magén (2) , Etienne Snoeck (3) , Bert Koopmans (4) , José M. de Teresa (1)

1 INA - Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón [Saragoza, España]
2 Universidad de Zaragossa
3 CEMES - Centre d'élaboration de matériaux et d'études structurales
4 TU/e - Eindhoven University of Technology [Eindhoven]

Iron nanostructures grown by focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) are promising for applications in magnetic sensing, storage and logic. Such applications require a precise design and determination of the coercive field (HC), which depends on the shape of the nanostructure. In the present work, we have used the Fe2(CO)9 precursor to grow iron nanowires by FEBID in the thickness range from 10 to 45 nm and width range from 50 to 500 nm. These nanowires exhibit an Fe content between 80 and 85%, thus giving a high ferromagnetic signal. Magneto-optical Kerr characterization indicates that HC decreases for increasing thickness and width, providing a route to control the magnetization reversal field through the modification of the nanowire dimensions. Transmission electron microscopy experiments indicate that these wires have a bell-type shape with a surface oxide layer of about 5 nm. Such features are decisive in the actual value of HC as micromagnetic simulations demonstrate. These results will help to make appropriate designs of magnetic nanowires grown by FEBID. © 2015 Rodríguez et al; licensee Beilstein-Institut.

Mots clés: Coercive force; Deposition; Electron beams; Electron microscopy; Electrons; Iron; Light transmission; Magnetic storage; Magnetization; Nanostructures; Nanowires; Optical Kerr effect; Transmission electron microscopy; Appropriate designs; Coercive field; Ferromagnetic signals; Focused electron beam induced deposition; Magnetic nanowires; Magneto-optical Kerr effects; Micromagnetic simulations; Surface oxide layer; Magnetization reversal

Domaines: Physique [physics]

Luis A. Rodríguez, Lorenz Deen, Rosa Córdoba, César Magén, Etienne Snoeck, et al.. Influence of the shape and surface oxidation in the magnetization reversal of thin iron nanowires grown by focused electron beam induced deposition. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 2015, 6 (1), pp.1319-1331. ⟨10.3762/bjnano.6.136⟩. ⟨hal-01724220⟩