Growth of low-dimensional magnetic nanostructures on an insulator

Iron nanometer-scaled wires and ultrathin films have been successfully prepared on an insulating NaCl(001) single-crystal surface by electron beam deposition using different growth conditions. In situ noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) shows that the heights and widths of the wires, which are formed by a one-dimensional array of clusters aligned on top of the step edges, are very uniform. The films are atomically flat and are formed due to a high nucleation density achieved through a low temperature growth procedure. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.