Fabrication of magnetic nanostructures by direct laser interference lithography on supersaturated metal mixtures

Abstract

We present the formation of magnetic nanostructures through the annealing of PLD-deposited Fe-Cr and Co-Ag thin film mixtures by the interference of pulsed laser beams. Both these materials systems have a large miscibility gap under equilibrium conditions. The structures obtained were studied with atomic force and magnetic force microscopy. A pattern of magnetic dots was successfully fabricated on the Fe-Cr sample, but attempts to produce a similar pattern on the Co-Ag film were unsuccessful. The conclusion is drawn that the observed transformations of the film materials under laser heat treatment took place through a local melting of the film in the maxima of the interference pattern. The magnetic properties of the resulting structure are considered to be defined by the liquid state miscibility of the film components.