Direct synthesis of large size ferromagnetic SmCo5 nanoparticles by a gas-phase condensation method

Abstract

Ferromagnetic SmCo5 nanoparticles with large size have been directly synthesized by a magnetron-sputtering-based gas-phase condensation method. Based on this method, we studied the effect of thermodynamic environment for the growth of SmCo5 nanoparticles. It was found that the well-crystallized SmCo5 nanoparticle tends to form a hexagonal disk shape with its easy axis perpendicular to the disk plane. More importantly, under the condition of high sputtering current, well-crystallized nanoparticles were found to be formed through a three-stage growth process: aggregation, coalescence, and second crystallization.