Anisotropic structural and magnetic properties of arrays of Fe26Ni74 nanowires electrodeposited in the pores of anodic alumina

The room temperature magnetization, magnetoresistance and structural proper ties of soft magnetic Fe26Ni74 nanowires of 18 nm diameter and various leng ths electrodeposited in the pores of anodic alumina are investigated. Nanow ires show perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, anisotropic crystallographic a nd magnetoresistance behaviour with a coercivity of 967 Oe and a remanence value of 85%. It should be noted that an electrodeposited Fe26Ni74 layer (6 mu m) on a copper substrate shows in-plane anisotropy and a coercivity of less than 1 Oe. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.