Dynamical freezing, magnetic ordering, and the magnetocaloric effect in nanostructured Fe/Cu thin films
We report dynamical freezing of Fe nanocrystallites in a Cu matrix with magnetic ordering of an FeCu interfacial phase provides a unique window into the magnetocaloric effect. The FeCu alloy altered the Fe nanocrystallite surface atoms, and with a magnetic ordering temperature comparable to the dynamical freezing temperature of the nanocrystallites enabled Fe surface atoms to contribute to the overall magnetization. Tuning the amount of interfacial alloy resulted in the control of the magnetic ordering temperature and the magnetocaloric properties.