Local structure and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism of Au in Au-Co nanoalloys

•Au:Co nanoalloy films are produced by physical vapor deposition at room temperature.•Both crystalline and poorly crystalline phases of the alloy are present.•The high degree of mixing favors the magnetic coupling of the two metals.•Au atoms in the film acquire a net magnetic moment.•The results are promising for the realization of a new class of magnetoplasmonic nanostructures.