Micro and nano patternable magnetic carbon

Carbon is conventionally not associated with magnetism, causing much of the discussion of its perspectives in nanotechnology to be centred on its electron-transport properties. Among the few existing examples of magnetic carbon production, none has found a direct route into scalable micro- and nanofabrication. Here we introduce a magnetic form of carbon whose precursor polymers can be lithographically patterned into micro- and nano-structures prior to pyrolysis. This unreactive and thermally robust material features a strong, room-temperature magnetism owing to a large number of unpaired electron spins with restricted mobility, which is achieved by controlling the progression of bond dissociation and formation during pyrolysis. The micro-manufacture of pyrolytic magnetic carbon, having (3.5±0.7)×1015 spins/mg, can immediately benefit a number of spintronic and magnetic-microelectromechanical system applications, and the fabrication of composite magnetic materials. The material could also complement the ma...