Fabrication of CoFe_2O_4 ferrite nanowire arrays in porous silicon template and their local magnetic properties

CoFe_2O_4 ferrite nanowire arrays are fabricated in porous silicon templates. The porous silicon templates are prepared via metal-assisted chemical etching with gold(Au) nanoparticles as the catalyst. Subsequently, CoFe_2O_4 ferrite nanowires are successfully synthesized into porous silicon templates by the sol–gel method. The magnetic hysteresis loop of nanowire array shows an isotropic feature of magnetic properties. The coercivity and squareness ratio(M_r/M_s) of ensemble nanowires are found to be 630 Oe(1 Oe = 79.5775 A·m~(-1) and 0.4 respectively. However, the first-order reversal curve(FORC) is adopted to reveal the probability density function of local magnetostatic properties(i.e., interwire interaction field and coercivity). The FORC diagram shows an obvious distribution feature for interaction field and coercivity. The local coercivity with a value of about 1000 Oe is found to have the highest probability.     

Tuning magnetic fingerprints of FeNi nanowire arrays by varying length and diameter

Magnetic nanowires (NWs) electrodeposited into solid templates are of high interest due to their tunable properties which are required for magnetic recording media and spintronic devices. Here, highly ordered arrays of FeNi NWs with varied lengths (ranging from 2.5 to 12 μm) and diameters (between 45 and 75 nm) were fabricated into anodic aluminum oxide templates using a pulsed ac electrodeposition technique. X-ray diffraction patterns along with energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated the formation of Fe₇₀Ni₃₀ NWs with fcc and bcc alloy phases, being highly textured along the bcc [110] direction. Magnetic properties were studied by hysteresis loop measurements at room temperature and they showed reductions in coercivity and squareness values by increasing length and diameter. Further, magnetic fingerprints of the NWs were characterized using the first-order reversal curve (FORC) analysis. FORC measurements revealed that, with increasing length and diameter from 2.5 to 10 μm and 45–55 nm, respectively, besides an increase in inter-wire magnetostatic interactions, a transition from a single domain (SD) state to a pseudo SD state occurred. Moreover, a multi-domain (MD) state was found for the longest length and diameter. While the irreversible magnetization component of the SD NWs was approximately 100%, the reversible component of MD NWs increased up to 20%.     

Temperature dependence of the effective anisotropy in Ni nanowire arrays

Magnetic hysteresis in Ni nanowire arrays grown by electrodeposition inside the pores of anodic alumina templates is studied as a function of temperature in the range between 5 K and 300 K. Nanowires with different diameters, aspect ratios, inter-wire distance in the array and surface condition (smooth and rough) are synthesized. These microstructure parameters are linked to the different free magnetic energy contributions determining coercivity and the controlling magnetization reversal mechanisms. Coercivity increases with temperature in arrays of nanowires with rough surfaces and small diameters ─33 nm and 65 nm─ when measured without removing the alumina template and/or the Al substrate. For thicker wires ─200 nm in diameter and relatively smooth surfaces─ measured without the Al substrate, coercivity decreases as temperature rises. These temperature dependences of magnetic hysteresis are described in terms of an effective magnetic anisotropy K_a, resulting from the interplay of magnetocrystalline, magnetoelastic and shape anisotropies, together with the magnetostatic interaction energy density between nanowires in the array. The experimentally determined coercive fields are compared with results of micromagnetic calculations, performed considering the magnetization reversal mode acting in each studied array and microstructure parameters. A method is proposed to roughly estimate the value of K_a experimentally, from the hysteresis loops measured at different temperatures. These measured values are in agreement with theoretical calculations. The observed temperature dependence of coercivity does not arise from an intrinsic property of pure Ni but from the nanowires surface roughness and the way the array is measured, with or without the alumina template and/or the aluminum support.     

Contribution of magnetostatic interaction to magnetization reversal of Fe3Pt nanowires arrays: A micromagnetic simulation

Using the micromagnetic simulations, we have investigated the magnetization reversal and magnetostatic interaction of Fe₃Pt nanowires arrays with wire diameters lower than 40 nm. By changing the number of interacting nanowires, N, interwire distance, a, and wire diameter, D, the effects of magnetostatic interaction on coercivity and remanence are investigated in detail. According to the simulated results, the contribution to the stray field induced by surface perpendicular magnetization at the end of wires is established.     

Study on magnetization reversal of cobalt nanowire arrays by magnetic force microscopy

The magnetic properties of self-assembly cobalt nanowire arrays formed in anodic porous alumina template were investigated by nanosize imaging method and macroscopic magnetic measurement. We have successfully made a wire-by-wire observation of magnetization reversal of a cobalt nanowire array using magnetic force microscopy with a home-made FePt tip. The nanowires in this medium have uniaxial anisotropy with easy axis along the wire due to the large aspect ratio of the wires (30 nm in diameter and 300 nm in length). Considering the nanowires as single-domain structures, we can obtain the average DC demagnetization curve from nanosize images by calculating the number of wires in each magnetized direction, and the results agreed well with the DC demagnetization curve measured by macroscopic measurement. The magnetostatic field between wires was evaluated by a new nanosize imaging method. Macroscopic measurement shows that reversible magnetization occurs in this medium. Nanosize images of the remanent and saturated states prove that the reversible magnetization processes mainly take place inside individual wires and reversed wires induced by magnetostatic field just give a little contribution to the reversible magnetization.     

Fabrication and magnetic properties of ordered Fe60Pb40 nanowire arrays electrodeposited in AAO templates

Ordered ferromagnetic-nonmagnetic heterogeneous Fe₆₀Pb₄₀ nanowire arrays were successfully fabricated by alternating current (AC) electrodeposition into nanoporous alumina templates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image and selected-area diffraction (SAED) pattern analysis showed that the Fe₆₀Pb₄₀ nanowires are polycrystalline with an average diameter of 22 nm and lengths up to several micrometers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) observations indicated that α-Fe and fcc Pb phase coexist and do not form metastable alloy phase. The as-deposited samples were annealed at 200, 300, 400 and 500 ^°C, respectively. Magnetic measurements showed that nanowires have high magnetic anisotropy with their easy axis parallel to the nanowire arrays, and the coercivity of the samples increased with the annealing temperature up to 400 ^°C and reached a maximum (2650 Oe). The change of magnetic properties associated with the microstructure was discussed.     

Magnetic behaviour of arrays of nickel nanowires with small diameter

Arrays of nickel nanowires have been fabricated within a template of porous alumina by electrochemical deposition. Measurements of magnetic hysteresis loops were performed at room temperature with a vibrating sample magnetometer. Coercivity and squareness of the arrays are closely related to l/D and diameter of the nanowires, and the angle θ between the normal line of the alumina surface and the applied magnetic field. For the same diameter of 10 nm, the coercivity and squareness increase remarkably with l/D when the l/D is less than 100. The diameter and angle θ dependences of coercivity do not follow the relationships of curling, fanning or coherent rotation mode of magnetization while thermal activation for magnetization reversal becomes remarkable for the arrays of Ni nanowires with the diameter less than 18 nm but the same l/D of 50. The coercivity of the arrays with the magnetic field perpendicular to the film surface is linear with D^−3/2 of Ni nanowires. From the fitting line, the critical diameter for superparamagnetism at room temperature and pure coercivity for such Ni nanowire arrays are found to be 6 nm and 1200 Oe respectively.     

Configurational spin reorientation phase transition in magnetic nanowire arrays

Classical microscopic spin reorientation phase transitions (RPT) are the result of competing magnetocrystalline anisotropies. RPTs can also be observed in discrete macroscopic systems induced by competing shape anisotropies and magnetostatic coupling. Such a configurational RPT was recently observed in series of self-organized hexagonal arrays of 2.5 μm long, 25-60 nm diameter circular permalloy nanowires grown in anodic alumina matrix. This RPT is a crossover transition from a one-dimensional easy axis “wire” behavior of weakly interacting uniaxial nanowires to a two-dimensional behavior of strongly coupled “wire film” having an easy plane anisotropy. It is shown that RPT takes place due to the competition between the intrinsic dipolar forces in individual wires and the external dipolar field of interacting nanowires in the array. The crossover occurs at a volume ratio of 0.38 for 65 nm periodicity. The experimental results are in agreement with the semi-analytical calculations of the dipolar interaction fields for these arrays of circular ferromagnetic nanowires, and are interpreted in terms of the Landau phase transition theory. The conditions for the crossover and the order of the phase transition are established. Based on the contribution to the magnetic energy from the flower state at the ends of the wires, it is concluded that the observed transition is of the first order.     

Magnetic properties of one-dimensional embedded nickel nanostructures in gold nanowires

Magnetic nanostructures of nickel embedded in gold were successfully fabricated by electrochemical deposition in porous alumina templates. Structural characterization of the samples confirmed the formation of pure phase, crystalline multi-segmented Au-Ni-Au nanowires. Magnetic characterization of the wires reveals that ferromagnetism arises as a result of Ni embedded in Au segments. An interesting behavior of coercivity was observed that showed a rapid decrease of coercivity for smaller Ni segments while a monotonic decrease was found for the larger segments. Finally, the saturation magnetization of the wires exhibited a slower increase for smaller Ni segments while a sharp increase was observed for larger Ni segments.     

PKP simulation of size effect on interaction field distribution in highly ordered ferromagnetic nanowire arrays

Perpendicular structured nanowire arrays interaction field distributions (IFDs), as revealed from first-order reversal curves (FORC) diagrams, are related to the presence of the demagnetizing field in the system. Despite the similarity between the geometric properties of bit patterned media and mentioned nanowire arrays, FORC diagrams of these two types of systems are not similar essentially due to the different number of magnetic entities influencing the switch of an individual element. We show that one Preisach–Krasnosel'skii–Pokrovskii (PKP) symmetrical hysteron can be representative of an ideal infinite nanowire array when the field is applied along the wires. Starting from this observation, we present a very simple model based on PKP symmetrical hysterons that can be applied to real finite ferromagnetic nanowire arrays, and is able to describe a wide class of experimentally observed FORC distributions, revealing features due to size effects. We also present IFDs modeled for different geometric characteristics such as array size, interwire distance, and nanowire dimensions, and an identification procedure for the proposed model.     

Crystallographically-oriented single-crystalline copper nanowire arrays electrochemically grown into nanoporous anodic alumina templates

Highly crystallographically-oriented single-crystalline copper nanowire arrays were electrochemically deposited into nanoporous commercial alumina templates. A gold/copper backward contact was needed in the template, while the nanowires were grown from a 0.5 M CuSO₄·5H₂O solution adjusted to pH=1. The kinetics of the growing process is studied by means of current vs. time curves. The pore filling is between 80 to 90%. The structure and morphology of the wires are studied by XRD, SEM and TEM. The wires have an average diameter of 150 nm corresponding to the pore diameter of the template, with the cubic face-centered copper structure. This structure is highly oriented along the [100] direction parallel to the wire axis. The preferential growing along this direction was not previously found in the literature, which may have interesting applications when such direction is required. PACS 81.05.Bx; 82.45.Qr; 81.07.-b     

Magnetostatic interaction in electrodeposited Ni/Au multilayer nanowire arrays

Ordered Ni/Au multilayer nanowire arrays are successfully fabricated inside the nanochannels of anodic aluminum oxide template by pulse electrodeposition method. The thickness of the alternating layers is controlled to examine the magnetostatic interaction in Ni/Au multilayer nanowires. The magnetic easy axis parallel to the nanowires indicates that here the magnetostatic coupling along the wire axis dominates over the interactions perpendicular to the nanowires. However,the magnetostatic interaction between adjacent nanowires with larger magnetic layers is enhanced, leading to the existence of an optimum coercivity value.     

Magnetostatic interactions in dense nanowire arrays

We demonstrate the importance of magnetostatic interactions in dense arrays of ferromagnetic nanowires. Beginning from a simple micromagnetic model, we have calculated the interaction field for saturated magnetization in the plane of the array (perpendicular to the axes of the wires) and normal to the plane, using a hybrid (numerical and analytical) strategy. The slope of interaction field versus wire length changes dramatically at the transition between a dipolar regime (at very small lengths) and a monopolar regime (for longer nanowires). We present the interaction fields and the applied fields at saturation for large nanowire arrays. These results are compared with experiment for electrodeposited arrays, and very good agreement is obtained. This shows that the high field behavior of such arrays is dominated by magnetostatic effects and that a nanowire array behaves like a double-sided distribution of magnetic monopoles.     

Magnetic and magnetization properties of electrodeposited fcc CoPt nanowire arrays

Magnetic and magnetization properties of fcc Co_1−xPt_x (x?0.3) alloy nanowires fabricated by electrodeposition into self-synthesized anodic alumina templates are investigated. Magnetization curves, measured for varying wire geometries, show a crossover of easy axis of magnetization from parallel to perpendicular to the nanowire axis as a function of the diameter and length. The measured values of coercivity (H_c) and remanent squareness (SQ) of CoPt nanowire arrays, as a function of angle (θ) between the field and wire axis, support the crossover of easy axis of magnetization. The curling mode of the magnetization reversal process is observed for CoPt nanowire arrays. At low temperatures, the easy axis for magnetization of the nanowires is observed to deviate from the room-temperature orientation.     

Effect of length on the magnetic properties of Ni 300 nm wide nanowires

The Ni 300 nm wide nanowires were fabricated inside the as-synthesized nanochannels of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by electrochemical deposition method. The angular dependence of coercivity and remanence of Ni nanowire arrays with various lengths have been comparatively studied. Investigation results demonstrate that the easy axis is along the wire axis for the longer nanowires of 4 μm or 9 μm in length due to their large shape anisotropy. However, the magnetostatic coupling is dominant for the shorter nanowires of 0.9 μm in length resulting in the change of magnetization behaviors, including coercivity and easy axis. A further explanation was also given by simple calculation in the paper.     

Ultrafine Fe-Co nanowires: Fabrication and heat treatment influence on the structure and magnetic properties

Ultrafine nanowires of Fe-Co with a diameter around 15 nm have been fabricated by electrodeposition method using anodic porous alumina as a template. The alloy nanowires were in the form of arrays and consisting of polycrystalline structures. They showed obvious shape anisotropy parallel to the axis of nanowires and the perpendicular coercivity (Hc_⊥) was found to be 2576.8 Oe which is higher than any coercivity value reported in the literature. The effects of critical factors such as heat treatment and temperature of annealing on the structure and magnetic properties of the ultrafine nanowire arrays were studied and discussed.     

Magnetic properties of Co–Cu nanowire arrays fabricated in different conditions by SC electrodeposition

Magnetic Co–Cu alloy nanowires with low Cu content were prepared by SC electrodeposition in pores of anodic aluminum oxide templates. The as-deposited Co–Cu nanowires, with a diameter of 15 nm, show distinctive magnetic anisotropy as an applied magnetic field parallel to the axis of nanowires. With increase in the molar ratio of Co and Cu, the coercivity along nanowire axis increases and reaches a maximum value of 1977.5 Oe at the Co/Cu molar ratio of 60:1, but the maximum value of coercivity increases to 1743.6 Oe with the decrease of frequency to 2 Hz.     

Synthesis and characteristics of Fe<Subscript>96-x</Subscript>Zr<Subscript>x</Subscript>B<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanowire arrays

Fe-rich Fe_96-xZr_xB₄ (0≤x≤7) nanowires were first prepared by electrodepositing into anodic aluminum oxide templates. Transmission electron microscope analysis shows that the nanowires are uniform and are about 100 nm in diameter with an aspect ratio of around 75. The broad peaks of X-ray diffraction and the Mössbauer spectrum indicate that the Fe_96-xZr_xB₄ nanowires are composed of α-Fe-like and Zr-rich FeZrB phases. Selected area electro diffraction results also indicate that the structure of Fe₈₉Zr₇B₄ nanowires is amorphous. A vibrating sample magnetometer is employed to study the magnetic properties of nanowire arrays at room temperature. The coercivity of nanowire arrays in parallel to the wire axis decreases with increasing Zr content.     

Microstructure and magnetic properties of Co-Cu nanowire arrays fabricated by galvanic displacement deposition

CoCu nanowires were fabricated in anodic alumina templates by a simple metal displacement deposition method and the as-deposited samples were subsequently annealed at 400 °C in vacuum. The CoCu nanowires are 80 nm in diameter and 50 μm in length. The aspect ratio (ratio of length to diameter) is larger than 600, which results in distinctive magnetic anisotropy. Enhanced coercivity (about 2245 Oe) and large squareness of 92% have been observed in the annealed samples.     

Thermally activated magnetization reversal process of self-assembled Fe55Co45 nanowire arrays

We have investigated the temperature dependence of the magnetic properties and the magnetic relaxation of the Fe₅₅Co₄₅ nanowire arrays electrodeposited into self-assembled porous alumina templates with the diameter about 10 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicates that the nanowire arrays are BCC structure with [1 1 0] orientation along the nanowire axes. Owing to the strong shape anisotropy, the nanowire arrays exhibit uniaxial magnetic anisotropy with the easy magnetization direction along the nanowire axes. The coercivity at 5 K can be explained by the sphere chains of the symmetric fanning mechanism. The temperature dependence of coercivity can be interpreted by thermally activated reversal mechanism as being the localized nucleation reversal mechanism with the activation volume much smaller than the wire volume. Strong field and temperature-dependent magnetic viscosity effects were also observed.