Magnetic and topographic correlations in Co nanoparticles

Abstract

We present a study of the magnetic domains structure in Co films grown on AlN composed of particles with nominal thicknesses between 3 and 15 nm. The images taken by using a scanning force microscope show that as the film thickness increases the domains have the magnetization vector pointing out of the plane, and that the magnetization in the particle tends to be in a single domain state with the particle boundaries being the main source for domains boundaries. The variation of the magnetic and topographic correlation functions in terms of the particle thickness suggests that the magnetic state is formed by a correlated super-spin glass structure. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.