Synthesis and magnetic properties of Fe_100–xMo_x alloy nanowire arrays

The Fe_100–xMo_x (13 ≤ x ≤ 25) alloy nanowire arrays are synthesized by electrodeposition of Fe²⁺ and Mo²⁺ with different ionic ratios into the anodic aluminum oxide templates. The crystals of Fe_100–xMo_x alloy nanowires gradually change from polycrystalline phase to amorphous phase with the increase of the Mo content and the nanowires are of amorphous structure when the Mo content reaches 25 at%, which are revealed by the X-ray diffraction and the selected area electron diffraction patterns. As the Mo content increases, the magnetic hysteresis loops of Fe_100–xMo_x alloy nanowires in parallel to the nanowire axis are not rectangular and the slopes of magnetic hysteresis loops increase. Those results indicate that the magnetostatic interactions between nanowires and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy both have significant influences on the magnetization reversal process of the nanowire arrays.