title: Thin film multiferroic nanocomposites by ion implantation.
abstract: Thin film multiferroic nanocomposites might enable a range of potentially disruptive integrated magnetoelectric devices for information storage, spintronics, microwave telecommunications, and magnetic sensing. With this aim, we have investigated ion implantation of magnetic species into ferroelectric single crystal targets as a radically novel approach to prepare film nanoparticulate magnetic-metal ferroelectric-oxide composites. These materials are an alternative to multiferroic oxide epitaxial columnar nanostructures that are under intensive research, but whose magnetoelectric response is far from expectations. Here, we unambiguously demonstrate the preparation of such a thin film multiferroic nanocomposite of Co and BaTiO3 by ion implantation of a high dose of the magnetic species, followed by rapid thermal processing under tailored conditions. Results thus constitute a proof of concept for the feasibility of obtaining the materials by this alternative approach. Ion implantation is a standard technique for the microelectronic industry in combination with well-established patterning procedures.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Cantoblanco, Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Algueró
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ricote
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Harvey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amorín
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberca
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Freire
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nemes
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holgado
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cervera
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piqueras
authors.forename: Agustina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asenjo
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Hernández