Quasicubic α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles embedded in TiO2 thin films grown by atomic layer deposition

Abstract Monodispersed quasicubic α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were synthesized from ferric nitrite (Fe(NO 3 ) 3 ), N , N -dimethyl formamide and poly( N -vinyl-2-pyrrolidone). Layers of nanoparticles were attached to HF-etched Si substrates by dip coating and subsequently embedded in thin titanium oxide films grown by atomic layer deposition from TiCl 4 and H 2 O. The deposition of TiO 2 onto Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles covered the nanoparticles uniformly and anatase phase of TiO 2 was observed in Si/Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 nanostructures. In Si/Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 nanostructure magnetic domains, observable by magnetic force microscopy, were formed and these nanostructures implied ferromagnetic-like behavior at room temperature with the saturative magnetization and coercivity of 10 kA/m.