Phase-separated Fe and Co particles in a BN matrix

Abstract
Using co-sputtering, 10–300 Å particles of Fe and Co have been prepared in an insulating BN matrix. The Fe particles have the α-Fe structure. The saturation magnetic moment of the iron particles per at. % Fe was found to be approximately independent of the Fe concentration and equal to the value of α-Fe. The system undergoes a metal–nonmetal transition at approximately 40 vol % Fe. For concentrations of Fe particles above this threshold the temperature dependence of the resistivity is metallic and the room-temperature coercivity is large (50–100 Oe). For the Co particles, the room-temperature coercivity is about twice as large as Fe above the metal–nonmetal threshold. Below the metal–nonmetal threshold the particles behave as superparamagnets and the coercivity is approximately zero.

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