Growth and structure of Pt capped self-assembled Co nanoparticles on alumina on Ni3Al(111)

Using the MBE chamber installed on the INS2 diffractometer of IF beamline, we want to growth a regular array of Co nanoparticles (NPs) exploiting the nanostructured alumina surface templated obtained by oxidizing the Ni3Al(111) surface and we want to study their structure and morphology in situ by GISAXS, GIXRD and RXRD. Then we want to cap them with Pt and study their core shell structure. Finally, we want to study the oxidation of capped Co NPs.The aim is to obtain a regular array of individual magnetic NPs exploiting the increases of magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy induced at the Co-Pt interface. Pt will form also a protective layer against oxidation, which should allow to study magnetic properties ex-situ. The study of such a kind of magnetic nanostructure has both a fundamental and technological interest. In this size range, magnetic NPs are monodomains the spin coupling between Co and Pt can be studied for example by x-ray resonant magnetic scattering at the Co L3 edge