X-Ray diffraction analysis and magnetic behaviour of amorphous Fe15Co17Ni58B10 nanowires obtained by electrochemical deposition

Fe15Co17Ni58B10 nanowire arrays have been deposited in alumina templates by electrochemical deposition. For comparison, the same alloy was used to deposit films on CuBe substrate. The change in boron concentration from 3% to 10% in the electrolyte promoted the amorphous phase in the films on the CuBe substrate and a partial amorphous phase in the nanowires. Thermal treatment of the deposited films and nanowire arrays at 600?°C promoted recrystallization. Magnetic hysteresis loops for 100 and 200?nm nanowire arrays are “wasp waisted.” There is no evidence of a sharp reversal for the out-of-plane or in-plane hysteresis loops, just a smooth curve indicating a coherent rotation during the magnetization reversal. Annealing the 200?nm nanowire array at 600?°C for 1?h gives rise to a mixed hysteresis loop, which can be attributed to competing domain configurations. An alternative explanation for this behavior is that there might be a phase separation between Fe, Ni, and Co in the nanowire environment due to the short range ordering of the alloy