Formation of nanomagnetic thin films by dispersed fullerenes

Abstract

A method of forming magnetic materials using dispersed fullerenes in ferromagnetic materials has been studied. Fullerenes (C60) have been integrated into the matrix of Co, Fe, CoFe thin films by thermal vapor codeposition. The size effects and interaction of the C60 molecules to the metallic atoms promote a self-assembly grain growth mode to produce thin films with unique evoluted microstructures characterized by nanosize columnar grains with uniformly dispersed C60 on the grain boundaries. These nanocrystalline films have displayed a series of promising magnetic properties, such as high out of plane remanence, high coercivity, fast magnetic switching, and unusual hysteresis behavior.