Size dependent dipolar interactions in iron oxide nanoparticle monolayer and multilayer Langmuir-Blodgett films

The dipolar interactions in monolayer and multilayer assemblies of iron oxide nanoparticles have been investigated as a function of the nanoparticle size. The magnetic properties of iron oxide nanocrystals of various sizes have been measured for particles as powders and assembled in mono-and multilayers by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, and compared to the behavior of non-interacting nanoparticles. It is shown that increasing dipolar interactions lead to higher blocking temperatures and to deviation from the Neel-Brown law. Dipolar interactions are found to be stronger for particles assembled in thin films compared to powdered samples. The effect of interactions increases strongly with the nanoparticle size in agreement with simulations, leading to an unusual behaviour for the larger particles assembled in monolayer, which could be a signature of a superferromagnetic state.