Focused electron beam-induced deposition of iron- and carbon-containing nanostructures from triiron dodecacarbonyl vapor

Iron-based nanocomposites are of substantial interest, in particular, from the viewpoint of their magnetic properties. Preliminary results are reported on the deposition of nanostructures from triiron dodecacarbonyl vapor by the action of a focused electron beam. It was found that depending on deposition conditions, the resistivity ρ of applied lines varied from 4 × 10−2 to 103 Ω cm, decreasing rapidly with an increase in the electron beam current. The effective activation energy of conductivity varied from 3–5 kJ/mol for low-resistance lines to 15–25 kJ/mol for high-resistance lines. The results obtained were discussed in terms of the assumption that the deposited lines are nanocomposite materials made from iron (iron oxide or carbide) nanoparticles distributed in an amorphous carbon matrix. A change in the resistance of one of the deposited lines (with an initial resistance of about 8 MΩ) in a medium of certain vapors and gases was determined.