Magnetization reversal of individual nanowires with controlled defects

Authors

Andrei Sokolov, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Renat F. Sabirianov, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
W. Wernsdorfer, Laboratoire de Magnetisme Louis Neel, CNRS, BP166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
Bernard Doudin, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

5-15-2002

Comments

Published in JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS VOLUME 91, NUMBER 10. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. Used by permission.

Abstract

Low temperature magnetization reversal measurements were performed on individual permalloy nanowires of diameters between 30 and 60 nm. During the electrochemical growth of the wire, a defect was induced by a short pulse in the deposition potential modifying locally the microstructure and composition. Magnetic measurements performed with micro-superconducting quantum interference devices were performed. The angular dependence of switching field revealed significant deviations from classical predictions. For specific angles, magnetization curves indicate a reversal occurring in two steps.