Interparticle interactions in annealed FePt nanoparticle assemblies

Thermal treatment of self-assembled FePt nanoparticles reduces the interparticle distances, resulting in dramatic changes in the type and strength of interparticle interactions. Consequently, magnetic properties such as the hysteresis and magnetization reversal mechanisms are strongly affected. It is suggested that controlled annealing of self-assembled nanoparticles may offer a novel approach for producing hard magnetic nanocomposites.