Textured Co nanowire arrays with controlled magnetization direction

Textured HCP Co nanowires with preferentially oriented (100) along the growth direction were fabricated by electrodeposition at high potential. Further increase of deposition potential results in the formation of twist wires with circumferential strain. These conclusions are unambiguously reached by combining TEM, XRD rocking curves and pole figures. The magnetic properties are determined by the combination of magnetocrystalline, shape, and stress anisotropies and magnetostatic interaction. Consequently, the magnetic easy axis can be tuned with structure and temperature, thus paving the road for magnetic nanowire array use in applications where self-biasing of magnetization is necessary. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.