Magnetic structures of nanometer scale Dy, Cr and Ni

Materials composed of nanometer-sized structures are becoming technologically relevant as the sizes of electronic devices approach the nanometer scale. Questions as to the performance and durability of these devices can be partially addressed through the characterization and understanding of the magnetic structures and properties of nanometer-sized materials. The purpose of the present work is to understand the relationship between the microstructure of nanocrystalline materials and their magnetic structures and properties. This paper summarizes three separate experiments: (1) an X-ray diffraction and anomalous absorption (XANES) study of nanocrystalline Dy, (2) neutron diffraction measurements of the magnetic structure of nanocrystalline Cr, and (3) the measurement of the magnetization density of a single twist grain boundary in Ni.