title: Ordered, self-organized cobalt nanodots in Co-diamond-like carbon thin films.
abstract: A formation process for ordered, self-organized cobalt (Co) nanodots in diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in a plasma-assisted Ar/CH4 discharge is presented. episilon-Co dots -5 nm in diameter, separated by 1-2 nm DLC boundaries and arranged in hexagonal arrays were produced on Si substrates. The formation mechanism relies on a self-organization process which is based on surface energy minimization and local magnetic field interaction. The proposed plasma-assisted process presents a controlled and cost-effective bottom-up nanofabrication approach for the production of well-ordered magnetic nanodots based on self-organization.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Meletis
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D018130:Diamond / Q000737:chemistry; D008280:Magnetics; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D003035:Cobalt; D002244:Carbon; D018130:Diamond