Abstract. Remanence properties and magnetization reversal mechanism of Fe nanowire arrays with diameters 16 nm and 130 nm are studied. Isothermal remanent magnetization curves show that the contribution of irreversible magnetization decreases when the diameter changes from 16 nm to 130 nm. The remanence coercivities of these nanowires obtained in dc-demagnetization curve are about 2400 Oe and 800 Oe, respectively. The magnetization reversal mechanism is different in these two samples. For the nanowire array with diameter 16 nm, both the nucleation and the pinning have effects on magnetization reversal mechanism, and the pinning field (about 2500 Oe) is larger than the nucleation field (about 2200 Oe). However, for the nanowire array with diameter 130 nm, the magnetization reversal mechanism is dominated by the pinning effect of domain walls.

PACS numbers: 75.50.Bb, 75.75.+a, 75.60.Ej

Print publication: Issue 5 (May 2004)
Received 27 November 2003