Research Projects

This research is intended to explore the particle size limits of ordering and magneto-crystalline anisotropy in FePt, NiPt, and CoPt nanoparticles. These materials all form a chemically ordered intermetallic compound phase (L10), and nanoparticles of these materials have the potential for significant impact for magnetic recording (as shown on the right) and high performance permanent magnet applications. However, an improvement in magnetic properties of smaller nanoparticles (less than 10 nm) is needed to realize this potential. While arrays of FePt nanoparticles have been formed (as shown on left), a fundamental understanding of the structural, processing, and property relationships for the nanoparticles is yet to be established. Of significance to the application of these nanoparticles in industry is the size dependence, or scaling, of the magnetic properties and the goal of further scientific research is to determine the limit of scaling for this class of materials. The basic activity of the research program is the preparation of nanoparticle samples by sputter deposition onto amorphous and single crystal substrates, and subsequent measurement of magnetic properties and characterization of nanoparticle structure.