MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF NANOSTRUCTURED IRON FILMS OBTAINED BY LOW-ENERGY NEUTRAL CLUSTER BEAM DEPOSITION

Nanocrystallized films of iron have been elaborated using for the first time the Low Energy Cluster Beam Deposition techniques. Structural characterizations have shown that the grain size distribution is very narrow and centered around 5 nm. The grain shape is almost spherical. Moreover, the density of the films is around 62% of bulk iron. Magnetic properties of the samples were studied using Mossbauer spectroscopy, ferromagnetic resonance and SQUID magnetometry. Experimental results have been quantitatively interpreted in the framework of the Random Anisotropy Model, with an exponential correlation of anisotropy directions extending up to 5 nm. In particular, the anisotropy and inter-grains exchange coupling energies have been determined.