Pulsed Laser Deposition of Mn_12-acetate Films using a Nitrogen Laser
Abstract
Thin films of molecular magnets may lead to an enhanced anisotropy resulting from interactions with the nearby substrate, opening an avenue to make molecular magnetic devices. We have made films of [Mn_12O_12(CH_3COO)_16(H_2O)_4]ot 2CH_3COOHot 4H_2O using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with a nitrogen laser at a wavelength of 337nm. With relatively low energy pulses from the nitrogen laser, higher quality films were produced than with excimer laser pulses. Characterization of the films using XPS, ESI-MS and SQUID magnetometry shows that the films maintain the magnetic properties of the starting material without major changes to the molecular structure of the material. The binding energy peaks in the XPS spectrum match well between the starting material and the films made by this technique. In addition, the SQUID data shows that, while there is evidence of a blocking temperature at 3K, evidence for an additional transition at ∼ 20 K is also seen. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas A University.
- Publication:
-
APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004APS..MARB25007M