Structural and magnetic properties of Co films on highly textured and randomly oriented C60 layers

The structural and magnetic properties of Co/C60/pentacene and Co/C60 thin film structures were investigated. Atomic force microscopy and x-ray reflectivity analysis show that the presence or absence of a pentacene buffer layer leads to a highly textured or randomly oriented C60 layer, respectively. A Co film deposited on a randomly oriented C60 layer penetrates into the C60 layer when it is deposited at a slow deposition rate. The Co penetration can be minimized, regardless of the Co deposition rate, by growth on a highly textured and nanostructured C60/pentacene layer. Vibrating sample magnetometry measurements show that the saturation magnetization of Co/C60/pentacene is significantly reduced compared to that of Co/C60. On the other hand, the Co penetration does not seem to have an effect on the magnetic properties, suggesting that the structural properties of the Co and C60 layer, rather than the Co penetration into the organic C60 layer, are critical to the magnetic properties of the Co/C60.