Phenomenological model for the simulation of hysteresis loops in NiFe/Cu multilayered nanowires

Results on a new phenomenological model for the simulation of out-of-plane and in-plane hysteresis loops of magnetic/nonmagnetic multilayered nanowire arrays are reported. Calculated loops are compared with experimental ones obtained using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The measured intrinsic coercivity of the array and the dipolar field created by the array are employed as input parameters in the proposed model. The shapes of the simulated loops are similar to those of the experimentally measured ones and confirm the dominant role of dipolar interactions in dense nanowire arrays. The proposed model offers a convenient tool for studying the correlation between the hysteretic behavior and the geometry of nanowire arrays. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.