Statistical study of effective anisotropy field in ordered ferromagnetic nanowire arrays

Abstract

Soft ferromagnetic nanowire arrays were obtained by electrodeposition of Co-Fe-P alloy into the pores of high quality home-made anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. Bath acidity and current density were the two parameters used in order to tailor the orientation of local anisotropy axes in individual nanowires. In order to quantify the influence of the induced anisotropies on the magnetization processes in individual nanowires, the in-plane magnetization loops of the arrays are modeled as log-normal distributions of Stoner-Wohlfarth transverse magnetization processes. Using the lognormal mean parameter as an approximation for the saturation applied field of the array, we compute the effective anisotropy of the nanowires, which is found to increase with the pH of the electrodeposition bath.