Thin magnetic films were synthesized by means of implantation of iron ions into single-crystalline (1 0 0) substrates of strontium titanate. Depth-selective conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (DCEMS) indicates that origin of the samples magnetism is alpha-Fe nanoparticles. Iron-substituted strontium titanate was also identified but with paramagnetic behaviour at room temperature. Surface magneto-optical Kerr effect (SMOKE) confirms that the films reveal superparamagnetism (the low-fluence sample) or ferromagnetism (the high-fluence sample), and demonstrate absence of magnetic in-plane anisotropy. These findings highlight iron implanted strontium titanate as a promising candidate for composite multiferroic material and also for gas sensing applications. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.