Nanometers-thick self-organized Fe stripes: bridging the gap between surfaces and magnetic materials.

We have fabricated 5-nm-high Fe(110) stripes by self-organized (SO) growth on a slightly vicinal R(110)/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3](1120) surface (R=Mo,W). Remanence, coercivity, and domain patterns were observed at room temperature. This contrasts with conventional SO epitaxial systems, that are superparamagnetic or even nonmagnetic at RT due to their flatness. Our process should help to overcome superparamagnetism without compromise on the lateral size if SO systems are ever to be used in applications. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]