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Multimillimetre-large superlattices of air-stable iron–cobalt nanoparticles

Nature Materials volume 4, pages 750–753 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Self-organization of nanoparticles into two- and three-dimensional superlattices on a large scale is required for their implementation into nano- or microelectronic devices1,2. This is achieved, generally after a size-selection process3,4, through spontaneous self-organization on a surface5,6,7,8,9,10,11, layer-by-layer deposition12 or the three-layer technique of oversaturation3,14, but these techniques consider superlattices of limited size. An alternative method developed in our group involves the direct formation in solution of crystalline superlattices, for example of tin nanospheres, iron nanocubes or cobalt nanorods, but these are also of limited size15,16,17. Here, we report the first direct preparation in solution of multimillimetre-sized three-dimensional compact superlattices of nanoparticles. The 15-nm monodisperse FeCo particles adopt an unusual short-range atomic order that transforms into body-centred-cubic on annealing at 500 ∘C. The latter process produces an air-stable material with magnetic properties suitable for radiofrequency applications.

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Figure 1: Global views of Fe–Co supercrystals from a macroscopic to a nanometric scale.
Figure 2: Structural analysis of Fe–Co nanoparticles.
Figure 3: Scattering and TEM analysis of annealed Fe–Co nanoparticles.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank CNRS and FREESCALE S. P. S. for support, M. Vincent Collière, Lucien Datas and TEMSCAN service (Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse) for TEM, Mlle Isabelle Fourquaux and Mr Bruno Payré (CMEAB, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse) for ultramicrotomy and Alain Mari for the magnetic measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination du CNRS, 205, route de Narbonne, 31077, Toulouse, Cedex 04, France

    Céline Desvaux, Catherine Amiens & Bruno Chaudret

  2. Freescale Semiconductor, le Mirail BP 1029, 31023, Toulouse Cedex, France

    Céline Desvaux & Philippe Renaud

  3. Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., 2100 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, Arizona, 85824, USA

    Peter Fejes

  4. Laboratoire de la Physique de la Matière Condensée, INSA, 135 avenue de Rangueil, 31077, Toulouse, France

    Marc Respaud

  5. Centre d’Elaboration des Matériaux et d’Etude Structurale, 29, rue Jeanne Marvig, BP94347, 31055, Toulouse, Cedex 04, France

    Pierre Lecante & Etienne Snoeck

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  1. Céline Desvaux
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  2. Catherine Amiens
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Correspondence to Bruno Chaudret.

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Desvaux, C., Amiens, C., Fejes, P. et al. Multimillimetre-large superlattices of air-stable iron–cobalt nanoparticles. Nature Mater 4, 750–753 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1480

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