Magnetic domain structure in small diameter magnetic nanowire arrays

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 239; no. 3; pp. 279 - 284
• Main Authors: Qin, Dong-Huan, Zhang, Hao-Li, Xu, Cai-Ling, Xu, Tao, Li, Hu-Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.01.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Clusters, nanoparticles, and nanocrystalline materials; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Domain walls and domain structure; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic domain; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of nanostructures; Metals. Metallurgy; Nanoscale materials: clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Nanowire; Perpendicular magnetic recording; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Nanowire; 07.55.−w; 81.15.Pq; Perpendicular magnetic recording; Magnetic domain; 07.55.-w; Atomic force microscopy; Scanning electron microscopy; Iron alloys; Surface structure; Binary alloys; Hysteresis loop; Domain structure; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic domains; 81.15.Pq Perpendicular magnetic recording; Nanowires; Arrays; Nanostructured materials; Cobalt alloys
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2004.06.016

Fe 0.3Co 0.7 alloy nanowire arrays were prepared by ac electrodepositing Fe 2+ and Co 2+ into a porous anodic aluminum oxide (PAO) template with diameter about 50 nm. The surface of the samples were polished by 100 nm diamond particle then chemical polishing to give a very smooth surface (below ±10 nm/μm 2). The morphology properties were characterized by SEM and AFM. The bulk magnetic properties and domain structure of nanowire arrays were investigated by VSM and MFM respectively. We found that such alloy arrays showed strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with easy axis parallel to nanowire arrays. Each nanowire was in single domain structure with several opposite single domains surrounding it. Additionally, we investigated the domain structure with a variable external magnetic field applied parallel to the nanowire arrays. The MFM results showed a good agreement with our magnetic hysteresis loop.