Hybrid films of Co–C60 preparation and changes induced by external stimuli

In this work, we report on the study on organic-metal hybrid systems, in particular Co–C60 fullerene thin films. This study mainly focused on the investigation of the morphological and structural evolution of the film surface after various external stimuli designed to provide energy to the system. For film growth, we adopted an innovative approach, combining ion beam sputtering of a pure metal target with thermal evaporation of C60 in a co deposition setup. The films underwent a series of treatments to induce modifications. Laser and ion irradiations were performed using a pulsed laser, a continuous Ar beam, and a pulsed C beam. In addition, thermal annealing in vacuum was performed to examine the long-term effects of temperature. The composition of deposited film was investigated using ion beam analysis, the morphology and the structure, and the effects of treatments on the films were studied using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopies and Raman spectroscopy. Changes in electrical resistance were also measured to explore potential applications of these films after treatment.