Structure analyses of Cu nanoclusters in the soft magnetic Fe85.2Si1B9P4Cu0.8 alloy by XAFS and fcc cluster model

Size of the clusters and structure details of fcc Cu clusters in nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy of Fe85-86Si1-2B8P4Cu1 (NANOMET) are investigated. A linear combination fitting of XAFS data indicates that about 30% of Cu atoms are partitioned in the fcc clusters and the rest in the amorphous matrix. EXAFS of the fcc Cu nanocluster embedded in amorphous matrix is calculated on the basis of a simple fcc structure model using FEFF9. Surface effect of the nanoclusters is considered by counting a fraction of the nearest neighbour atoms in amorphous matrix. Good agreement with the experimental result is obtained for the fcc nanocluster with 9 coordination shells which consists of total 177 atoms within 1.5 nm in a diameter.