Magnetic properties of iron-modified amorphous carbon

The structure and magnetic properties of films of iron-modified amorphous carbon (a-C:Fe) prepared by magnetron cosputtering of iron and graphite targets are studied. X-ray diffraction measurements show that iron enters the samples in the form of Fe nanocrystals that are typically about 20 nm in size and also forms nanocrystals of hexagonal iron carbide. The temperature dependences of the magnetization, measured under cooling in zero and nonzero magnetic fields, are studied. At temperatures T less than or similar to 8 K, a magnetic transition, which provides evidence for the onset of magnetic ordering in the material, is observed to occur. The magnetization isotherms obtained in the 8- to 20-K temperature range are in agreement with this observation. It is shown that a modified version of Langevin's formalism adequately describes the observed features of a-C:Fe film magnetization. (c) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.