FORMATION OF MAGNETIC NANOSIZE GRATINGS IN THE ILLUMINATION OF THIN-FILM FE-CR MIXTURES BY INTERFERING LASER-BEAMS

The conditions for formation of nanosize gratings (similar to 100 nm) of ferromagnetic stripes in the illumination of thin-film (10-15 nn) p aramagnetic Fe-Cr mixtures by interfering beams from an excimer laser are investigated. The ferromagnetic ordering arises as a result of the thermally stimulated clustering of Fe atoms. The gratings are formed in a certain energy interval of the laser radiation. The width of this interval depends substantially on both the interference period and th e illumination time tau(i). For tau(i) = 10 ns there exists an energy interval in which gratings with periods as small as 300 nm are formed. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(98)01906-5].