A perfect conical nanoshape meets large magnetocrystalline anisotropy: unusual magnetic configurations

Abstract

Magnetic configurations play a paramount role in determining magnetic reversal and unusual configurations and therefore could lead to novel magnetic behaviors and new applications. Here, we demonstrate that the unusual magnetic configurations can be adjusted via the synergy of a perfect conical shape and large magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The near-perfect conical shape with a progressively diminishing size is achieved via depositing cobalt in the ion-tracking template. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy is then modulated by tailoring the crystalline texture. The first-order-reversal-curve analysis discloses that the magnetic configurations of cobalt nanocones are distinctive from cobalt nanowires. Because of the conical shape and large magnetocrystalline anisotropy, the magnetic anisotropy and exchange interaction change from the tip and the base, yielding exceptional switching field distributions.