Influence of film thickness on topology and related magnetic interactions in Fe nanoparticle films

Fe nanoparticle (NP)-assembled thin films with different thickness were prepared by femtosecond-pulsed laser deposition using different deposition times. The proper selection of the deposition time allows to control, to a certain degree, the morphology and topology of the deposited Fe nanoparticles (NPs) assembly, fostering non-uniform dense assemblies of NPs, with the consequent reduction of the influence of the exchange interactions on the macroscopic magnetic properties with decreasing thickness. The magnetic behavior of the Fe NP-assembled films with decreasing thickness is characterized by higher coercive field (H-c) values (a factor approximate to 4.5) and a good compromise between the hysteresis loops squareness and moderate exchange interactions, strongly correlated with the NPs topology.