Tailoring Magnetic Anisotropy at Will in 3D Interconnected Nanowire Networks

Abstract

The control of magnetic anisotropy has been the driving force for the development of magnetic applications in a wide range of technological fields from sensing to spintronics. In recent years, the possibility of tailoring the magnetic properties goes together with a need for new 3D materials to expand the applications to a new generation of devices. Herein, the possibility of designing the magnetic anisotropy of 3D magnetic nanowire networks is shown just by modifying the geometry of the structure or by composition. It is also shown that this is possible when the magnetic properties of the structure are governed by magnetostatic anisotropy. The present approach can guide systematic tuning of the magnetic easy axis and coercivity in the desired direction at the nanoscale. Importantly, this can be achieved on virtually any magnetic material, alloy, or multilayers that can be prepared inside porous alumina. These results are promising for engineering novel magnetic devices that exploit tailored magnetic anisotropy using metamaterials concept.

Recent Advances in Nanoporous Anodic Alumina: Principles, Engineering, and Applications

“…Metallic fillers provided the electrical conductivity in the vertical plane with the decrease of thermal conductivity as compared to the filler material itself. Later, a structure made with Co x Ni 1-x alloys using NAA with transversal nanochannels as a sacrificial template was reported by Ruiz-Clavijo et al [ 183 ]. After anodization and selective etching, 3D-NAA templates were coated with a layer of chromium and gold through evaporation.…”

“…( a ) Raw alumina template, ( b ) structure infiltrated with magnetic alloy, and ( c ) 3D network of magnetic nanowires. Reprinted with permission from [ 183 ]. Copyright 2019 Wiley.…”

Effects of Size Reduction on the Electrical Transport Properties of 3D Bi Nanowire Networks

“…[ 1–3,5 ] These characteristics are of special interest for numerous emerging applications such as thermoelectric sensing, transparent conductors, or selective catalysis for green fuels. [ 1,3,6–12 ]…”

Harnessing Multi-Photon Absorption to Produce Three-Dimensional Magnetic Structures at the Nanoscale

“…For example, it is very clear that electrodeposition into anodised alumina or ion track etched templates is very well suited to producing very pure, cylindrical magnetic nanowires, with very smooth sidewalls and there is little doubt that this powerful methodology will continue to be exploited in order to explore the physics of ultrafast domain walls [34] and eventually spin-Cherenkov physics. Recent work has also shown that for the case of anodised alumina templates, more complex connected nanowire structures can be made [89] suggesting that this methodology may also allow the realization of complex 3D nanowire lattices.…”