FEBID fabrication and magnetic characterization of individual nano-scale and micro-scale Co structures

Abstract This work gives an illustration of the viability of FEBID to fabricate magnetic nano- and micro-structures and it demonstrates that by means of a combination of MOKE microscopy and MFM, one is able to analyze the size and shape effects in individual magnetic cobalt structures. With the help of our magnetic and functional study, we are able to demonstrate that by using FEBID, cobalt of uniform thickness and magnetic response can be deposited over several micron-size areas, establishing a most crucial ingredient of reliable structure and device fabrication. Furthermore, we show the suitability of FEBID to fabricate functional and complex 3-dimensional magnetic structures. The issue of unintended secondary deposits in FEBID is discussed, and a Xe-ion milling posttreatment for its removal is proposed and demonstrated as a successful pathway towards the fabrication of functionally independent magnetic nano-structures.