Previous studies have shown that atomic clusters of between 2 and 500 atoms can be more magnetic than the bulk matter and exhibit entirely new magnetic phenomena as the result of thermal fluctuactions, a large surface-to-volume ratio and finite-size effects. This project will extend the measurements made on cobalt and gadolinium clusters to a broad range of other metal, alloy and metal compound clusters. The studies will be made as functions of temperature, magnetic field, and cluster size and composition. The ultimate goal is to synthesize clusters whose magnetic properties will be useful in applications such as magnetic recording, electronics and optics.
