Characterization of cobalt nanowires by means of force microscopy

In this paper, an experimental study on both the electrolytic growth and th e magnetic properties of cobalt nanowires is presented, The wires were elec trodeposited into the pores of track-etched polymer membranes, having a dia meter ranging from 80 up to 250 nm depending on the size of the pores. The filling of the pores was monitored combining the measurement of the electro lytic current-time curves with Atomic Forte Microscopy imaging (AFM), After dissolving the membranes, the magnetic domain structure of isolated nanowi res was visualized by means of Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) showing a mu ltidomain pattern, The results are analyzed considering that the c axis of the hcp-Co crystallites is mainly perpendicular to the wire axis.