Unraveling Nanoscale Magnetic Ordering in Fe3O4 Nanoparticle Assemblies via X-rays

Understanding the correlations between magnetic nanoparticles is important for nanotechnologies, such as high-density magnetic recording and biomedical applications, where functionalized magnetic particles are used as contrast agents and for drug delivery. The ability to control the magnetic state of individual particles depends on the good knowledge of the magnetic correlations between particles when assembled. Inaccessible via standard magnetometry techniques, nanoscale magnetic ordering in self-assemblies of Fe3O4 nanoparticles is here unveiled via X-ray resonant magnetic scattering (XRMS). Measured throughout the magnetization process, the XRMS signal reveals size-dependent inter-particle magnetic correlations. Smaller (5 nm) particles show little magnetic correlations, even when packed close together, yielding to magnetic disorder in the absence of an external field, i.e., superparamagnetism. In contrast, larger (11 nm) particles tend to be more strongly correlated, yielding a mix of magnetic orders including ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic orders. These magnetic correlations are present even when the particles are sparsely distributed.