Tailored cobalt nanostructures by FEBID

Abstract

Focused-electron-beam-induced-deposition (FEBID) using Co2(CO)8 gas precursor allows the direct writing of cobalt-based magnetic structures. We first grew high-purity cobalt structures with FEBID using high beam currents. The coercive field of these structures can be controlled via the shape anisotropy, and single-domain behavior can be observed. Interestingly, the domain-wall propagation field can be lower than the domain-wall nucleation field, with potential magnetic applications. The spin polarization of these cobalt deposits is large enough for its use in Spin Electronics. We have recently achieved the growth of narrow high-cobalt-content nanowires (30 nm) and Hall sensors (100 nm), opening the route for the growth of cobalt structures tailored at the nanoscale.