Dense-plasma-driven ultrafast formation of FePt organization on silicon substrate

This article demonstrates the removal of organic capping and promotion of long-range 2D organization of chemically synthesized FePt nanoparticles dispersed on Si 〈100 〉 substrate by means of pulsed H+ energetic ion irradiation using a dense plasma focus (DPF) device. The irradiation of energetic H+ ions on FePt nanoparticles clearly resulted in enhanced structural and magnetic behaviour of the FePt nanoparticles as a function of plasma focused irradiation shots. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)/scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the FePt nanoparticles clearly show a marked enhancement in average particle size from 2.5 nm for non-irradiated sample to about 28 nm for four plasma focus shots irradiation. The gradual removal of organic capping over chemically synthesized FePt nanoparticles with increasing plasma focus shots exposure is confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. A uniform 2D organization of bimetallic FePt nanoparticles over 1 cm × 1 cm silicon substrate is obtained with three plasma focus shots with better magnetic properties as compared with plasma-untreated FePt nanoparticles.