Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films

Gu, Ziyang; Gao, Yiting; Li, Zhou; Zou, Weihang; Li, Keming; Xu, Huan; Xiao, Zhu; Fang, Mei

doi:10.3390/nano15100715

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Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films

by

Ziyang Gu

^1,2,

Yiting Gao

^1,2,

Zhou Li

^1,3,

Weihang Zou

²,

Keming Li

²,

Huan Xu

²,

Zhu Xiao

^1,4 and

Mei Fang

^2,*

¹

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

²

Hunan Key Laboratory for Super-microstructure and Ultrafast Process, School of Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

³

State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

⁴

Key Laboratory of Non-ferrous Metal Materials Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410083, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Nanomaterials 2025, 15(10), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15100715

Submission received: 25 March 2025 / Revised: 27 April 2025 / Accepted: 7 May 2025 / Published: 9 May 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Nanocomposite Materials)

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Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) hold great promise for both fundamental research and future applications due to their unique structural features, high specific surface area, and tailored physical properties. Here, we present a convenient thermal co-evaporation approach to deposit Co–C60 composite films with controlled composition, structure, morphology, and tunable performances, specifically designed for spintronic device applications. By tuning the growth rates of Co and C60 during co-evaporation, the composition of the films can be tuned with different ratios. With a Co/C60 ratio of 5:1, ~300 nm clusters are formed in the films with increased coercivity compared with pure Co films, which is attributed to the interfaces in the composite film. The magnetoresistance (MR), however, becomes dominated by organic semiconductor C60 with ordinary magnetoresistance (OMAR). By increasing the composition of C60 to the ratio of 5:2, the particle diameter decreases while the height increases dramatically, forming magnetic electrodes and, thus, nano-organic spin valves (OSV) in the composite films with giant magnetoresistance (GMR). The work demonstrates a versatile approach to tailoring the structural and functional properties of magnetic NP-composite films for advanced spintronic applications.

Keywords: magnetic nanoparticle; co-evaporation; composite film; magnetoresistance

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MDPI and ACS Style

Gu, Z.; Gao, Y.; Li, Z.; Zou, W.; Li, K.; Xu, H.; Xiao, Z.; Fang, M. Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films. Nanomaterials 2025, 15, 715. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15100715

AMA Style

Gu Z, Gao Y, Li Z, Zou W, Li K, Xu H, Xiao Z, Fang M. Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films. Nanomaterials. 2025; 15(10):715. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15100715

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gu, Ziyang, Yiting Gao, Zhou Li, Weihang Zou, Keming Li, Huan Xu, Zhu Xiao, and Mei Fang. 2025. "Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films" Nanomaterials 15, no. 10: 715. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15100715

APA Style

Gu, Z., Gao, Y., Li, Z., Zou, W., Li, K., Xu, H., Xiao, Z., & Fang, M. (2025). Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films. Nanomaterials, 15(10), 715. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15100715

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Tunable Structure and Properties of Co-Evaporated Co–C60 Nanocomposite Films

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