Induced Magnetic Order by Ion Irradiation of Carbon-Based Structures

TL;DR

This paper reviews how proton irradiation induces magnetic order in carbon-based structures like graphite and fullerenes, highlighting the effects of irradiation and subsequent annealing on magnetic properties.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of proton irradiation effects on magnetic properties of various carbon structures, including analysis techniques and post-irradiation treatments.

Findings

Proton irradiation induces magnetic order in graphite and fullerene films.

Irradiation effects vary between oriented graphite and thin films.

Annealing influences the stability and evolution of induced magnetic states.

Abstract

In this chapter we review the magnetic effects produced by proton irradiation on graphite, disordered carbon and fullerene films. The advantage of proton irradiation is twofold: it enables us to make an impurity analysis simultaneously to the implantation of hydrogen. In this chapter we will review the main effects obtained after proton irradiation in different carbon-based structures. This chapter is organized as follows. In section 2 we provide the main characteristics of our irradiation facility. In this section we show an example of element analysis obtained in one of the graphite samples used for the irradiation studies. The irradiation effects are reviewed in section 3. This section is divided in two main subsections that describe the effects in oriented graphite and carbon-based thin films. In section 4 we discuss some of the effects observed after annealing the sample at high temperatures in vacuum or after leaving it at room temperature for a long period of time.