Fabrication of magnetic nanostructures by direct laser interference lithography on supersaturated metal mixtures

We present the formation of magnetic nanostructures through the annealing o f PLD-deposited Fe-Cr and Co-Ag thin film mixtures by the interference of p ulsed laser beams. Both these materials systems have a large miscibility ga p under equilibrium conditions. The structures obtained were studied with a tomic force and magnetic force microscopy. A pattern of magnetic dots was s uccessfully fabricated on the Fe-Cr sample, but attempts to produce a simil ar pattern on the Co-Ag film were unsuccessful. The conclusion is drawn tha t the observed transformations of the film materials under laser heat treat ment took place through a local melting of the film in the maxima of the in terference pattern. The magnetic properties of the resulting structure are considered to be defined by the liquid state miscibility of the film compon ents.