Growth and magnetic properties of oriented α-Fe2O3 nanorods

alpha-Fe2O3 nanorods have been deposited on Si substrates using the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition method. Structural analyses indicated that alpha-Fe2O3 nanorods are preferentially oriented in the [104] direction on Si(100) substrates, and the nanorod possesses the single-crystalline structure. MFM image suggests that a spin domain is formed in the alpha-Fe2O3 nanorod. Anisotropic magnetic property of the alpha-Fe2O3 nanorods, i.e., the discrepancy of the saturation magnetization, is observed from SQUID measurements when the magnetic field are applied parallel and perpendicular to the substrate. A lower Morin temperature than that of the macroscopically crystalline hematite is observed when the magnetic field is applied parallel to the substrate.