Magnetic iron silicide nanowires on Si(110)

Self-assembled iron silicide nanowires were formed by depositing 1 ML of Fe onto Si(110) at 700 degrees C in ultrahigh vacuum. The nanowires have average dimensions of 5 nm high x10 nm wide x mu m long, as measured with ex situ atomic force microscopy. High-resolution electron microscopy identifies the crystal structure as cubic FeSi2 with orientation FeSi2((1) over bar 11)//Si(1 (1) over bar1), FeSi2 < 110 >//Si < 110 >. Magnetometer measurements show a magnetic moment of 0.3 Bohr magneton per iron atom at 2 K. This magnetic property in metastable cubic FeSi2 nanowires opens up the possibility for high-density data storage and logic applications. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.