GROWTH OF HIGH-ASPECT-RATIO NANOMETER-SCALE MAGNETS WITH CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION AND SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY

A combination of chemical vapor deposition and scanning tunneling micr oscopy techniques have been used to produce nanometer-scale, iron-cont aining deposits with high aspect ratios from an iron pentacarbonyl pre cursor both on a substrate and on the tunneling tip itself. The struct ure and composition of the resulting nanodeposits were determined by t ransmission electron microscopy and high spatial resolution Auger elec tron spectroscopy. Either polycrystalline, relatively pure, body-cente red-cubic iron or disordered carbon-rich material can be deposited, de pending on the bias conditions of the tip sample junction and the prec ursor pressure. Two mechanisms of decomposition are inferred from the growth phenomenology.