AVS 49th International Symposium
    Magnetic Interfaces and Nanostructures Monday Sessions
       Session MI+NS-MoA

Invited Paper MI+NS-MoA7
Magnetic Nanowires for Media and Devices Fabricated Using Copolymer Templates

Monday, November 4, 2002, 4:00 pm, Room C-205

Session: Self-Assembly and Nanomagnetism
Presenter: M.T. Tuominen, University of Massachusetts
Authors: M.T. Tuominen, University of Massachusetts
M. Bal, University of Massachusetts
A. Ursache, University of Massachusetts
Q. Xiao, University of Massachusetts
J.T. Goldbach, University of Massachusetts
T.P. Russell, University of Massachusetts
Correspondent: Click to Email
Arrays of magnetic nanowires and nanowire devices were fabricated using nanoporous templates derived from self-assembling diblock copolymer films. Poly(styrene-methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) diblock copolymers as porous templates that were used to fabricate hexagonal arrays of vertical nanowires with densities of exceeding 1x10^12 per square inch. Electrodeposition within the template produces 10nm-scale magnetic cobalt nanowire arrays that exhibit large perpendicular coercivity and remanance making them potential candidates for ultrahigh-density perpendicular magnetic storage media. The internal crystal morphology of the nanowires, and consequently magnetic properties, can be manipulated and tuned by electrodeposition process parameters. The copolymer templates have been patterned laterally using conventional lithographic exposure to fabricate novel 3D magnetic nanowire devices. This includes current-in-plane magnetoresitive devices and current-through-wire switching field devices. Anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements show a sharp and complete magnetization reversal, indicating single-domain nanowire switching behavior. Such properties offer promising potential for new magnetic nanodevices built upon on single-domain elements. This work is supported by US National Science Foundation Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team grant DMI-0103024 and Materials Research Science and Engineering Center grant DMR-9809365.