Observation of the Magnetization Reorientation in Self-Assembled Metallic Fe-Silicide Nanowires at Room Temperature by Spin-Polarized Scanning Tunneling Spectromicroscopy

Abstract

The quasi-periodic magnetic domains in metallic Fe-silicide nanowires self-assembled on the Si(110)-16 × 2 surface have been observed at room temperature by direct imaging of both the topographic and magnetic structures using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy. The spin-polarized differential conductance (dI/dV) map of the rectangular-sectional Fe-silicide nanowire with a width and height larger than 36 and 4 nm, respectively, clearly shows an array of almost parallel streak domains that alternate an enhanced (reduced) density of states over in-plane (out-of-plane) magnetized domains with a magnetic period of 5.0 ± 1.0 nm. This heterostructure of magnetic Fe-silicide nanowires epitaxially integrated with the Si(110)-16 × 2 surface will have a significant impact on the development of Si-based spintronic nanodevices.