An overview on magnetic of nanostructured magnetic materials is presented, with particular emphasis on the basic features displayed by granular nanomagnetic solids. Besides a review of the basic concepts and experimental techniques, the role of structural disorder (mainly the distribution of grain sizes), interparticle magnetic interactions and surface effects are also discussed with some detail. Recent results, models and trends on the area are also discussed.

A systematic study of Co(SiO 2 ) granular films by means of transmission electron microscopy ͑TEM͒, dc and ac initial magnetic susceptibility, and thermoremanent magnetization ͑TRM͒ is presented. The experimental results are compared with simulations of zero-field-cooled ͑ZFC͒ and field-cooled ͑FC͒ magnetization and TRM curves obtained using a simple model of noninteracting nanoparticles. The simulated ZFC/FC curves, using the actual parameters obtained from the TEM images, show a different behavior than the experimental magnetic data. The effect of the dipolar interaction among particles introduces a self-averaging effect over a correlation length ⌳, which results in a larger average ''magnetic'' size of the apparent particles together with a narrower size distribution. The analysis of the ZFC/FC curves in the framework of independent ''particle clusters'' of volume ⌳ 3 , involving about 25 real particles, explains very well the observed difference between the experimental data for the median blocking temperature ͗T B ͘ and their distribution width with respect to the ones expected from the structural observations by TEM. The experimental TRM curves also differ from those obtained from the theoretical model, starting to decrease at a lower temperature than expected from the model, also indicating the strong influence of dipole-dipole interactions.

Magnetic properties of Co-SiO 2 granular films are displayed and explained by means of a phenomenological model that takes into account the effects of magnetic interparticle coupling on the superparamagnetic relaxation behavior. The model is based on the analysis of coupled nanoparticles through a modified random anisotropy model that takes into account the concentration and size of the nanoscopic particles, as well as the field dependence of the correlation length. The proposed model leads to an accurate description of the field dependence of the blocking temperature, substantially better than the power law usually employed to describe noninteracting particles.

Magnetic properties of arrays of nanowires produced inside the pores of anodic alumina membranes have been studied by means of vibrating sample magnetometer techniques. In these systems the length of the wires strongly influences the coercivity of the array. A simple model for the coercivity as a function of the geometry is presented which exhibits good agreement with experimental results. Magnetostatic interactions between the wires are responsible for a decrease of the coercive field.

The angular dependence of the remanence and coercivity of Ni nanowire arrays produced inside the pores of anodic alumina membranes has been studied. By comparing our analytical calculations with our measurements we conclude that the magnetization reversal in this array is driven by means of the nucleation and propagation of a transverse wall. A simple model based on an adapted StonerWohlfarth model is used to explain the angular dependence of the coercivity.