Enhanced orbital magnetism in Fe50Pt50 nanoparticles

X-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra at both the Fe and Pt L-3,L-2 edges were measured on wet-chemically synthesized monodisperse Fe50Pt50 particles with a mean diameter of 6.3 nm before and after complete removal of the organic ligands and the oxide shell covering the particles by soft hydrogen plasma resulting in a pure metallic state. After thermal treatment of the metallic particles, the coercive field increased by a factor of 6, the orbital magnetic moment at the Fe site increased by 330% and is reduced at the Pt site by 30%, while the effective spin moments did not change. A decrease of the frequency of oscillations in the extended x-ray absorption fine structure at the Pt L-3,L-2 edges provides evidence for crystallographic changes towards the L1(0) phase.