Origin of Surface Canting within Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

Authors

Kathryn L. Krycka
Julie A. Borchers
R.A. Booth
Yumi Ijiri, Oberlin CollegeFollow
K. Hasz
James J. Rhyne
S.A. Majetich

Abstract

The nature of near-surface spin canting within Fe3O4 nanoparticles is highly debated. Here we develop a neutron scattering asymmetry analysis which quantifies the canting angle to between 23° and 42° at 1.2 T. Simultaneously, an energy-balance model is presented which reproduces the experimentally observed evolution of shell thickness and canting angle between 10 and 300 K. The model is based on the concept of Td site reorientation and indicates that surface canting involves competition between magnetocrystalline, dipolar, exchange, and Zeeman energies.

Repository Citation

Krycka, K.L., J.A. Borchers, R.A. Booth, Y. Ijiri, K. Hasz, J.J. Rhyne, and S.A. Majetich, “Origin of Surface Canting Within Fe3O4 Nanoparticles.” Physical Review Letters 113: 147203.

Publisher

American Physical Society

Publication Date

10-2-2014

Publication Title

Physical Review Letters

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.147203

Keywords

Angle neutron-scattering, Polarized neutrons, Magnetite, Separation, Anisotropy, Magnetic nanoparticles

Language

English

Format

text