Abstract
A plasma-gas condensation cluster deposition system with two sources has been applied for preparing Co/Si clusters assemblies. When a separation plate is inserted between two glow-discharge-rooms, a mixture of Co and Si clusters is obtained: small Co clusters are distributed at random, while the Si clusters are aggregated to form large secondary particles. Without a separation plate, on the other hand, core-shell clusters are obtained: a Co core is covered by small Si crystallites. The magnetization measurement at 5 K shows that the magnetic coercive force of Co/Si cluster assemblies is much smaller than that of Co cluster assemblies. Since the Si shell prevents Co cluster surfaces from their oxidation, such core-shell clusters will be used as building blocks for novel nano-structure-controlled materials.
