Electron beam-induced formation of nanosized α-Fe crystals

Focused electron beam induced chemical vapor deposition was performed in a scanning electron microscope with a field emission gun using a precursor of iron carbonyl. Due to the longer deposition time and higher gas pressure than those of our previous electron beam-induced deposition method, a new type of deposition occurred. A large amount of nanosized crystals were produced around the focused beam irradiation point on a carbon substrate at room temperature. The nanocrystals were systematically characterized using transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and were identified to be single crystals of alpha-Fe. (c) 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.