Magnetic properties of the Fe/Fe oxide granular system

Abstract The low-temperature magnetic properties of compacted Fe/Fe oxide samples, consisting of Fe particles (mean size ∼6 nm) embedded in a poorly crystallized oxide matrix (∼80% of the volume), are presented. The results are interpreted in terms of a progressive freezing, with decreasing temperature, of spin clusters at the disordered oxide matrix and considering the exchange coupling between such a phase and the Fe particle moments.