K.R. Pirota

Giant magnetoimpedance: concepts and recent progress

The giant magnetoimpedance effect (GMI) consists in drastic changes of the complex impedance of soft magnetic materials upon the application of an external magnetic field. The GMI effect is strongly dependent on the frequency of the applied current and the magnetic anisotropies present in the material, among other factors, which spawn a number of interesting new magnetic phenomena. In this context, one can roughly separate the research on GMI into approximately three aspects: (i) theory; (ii) applications and (iii) as a tool to investigate other magnetic parameters. In this work, an updated review of all these aspects is given.

Magnetic properties of densely packed arrays of Ni nanowires as a function of their diameter and lattice parameter

High-quality densely packed hexagonal arrays of Ni nanowires have been prepared by filling self-ordered nanopores in alumina membranes. Nanowires with different diameter d (18–83 nm) and lattice parameter D (65 and 105 nm) have been studied by atomic force, high resolution scanning electron microscopies, Rutherford backscattering, and vibrating sample magnetometer techniques. Axial loops coercivity and remanence decrease with increasing ratio diameter to lattice parameter, r, until nanowires start to interconnect locally. Additionally, hysteresis of in-plane loops increases with packing factor. In order to interpret the experimental results, multipolar magnetostatic interactions among nanowires with increasing ratio r are considered.

Frequency dependence of the magnetoimpedance in amorphous CoP electrodeposited layers

Magnetic properties and changes of impedance upon external field (MI) are studied in amorphous CoP magnetic layers obtained by galvanostatic electrodeposition over cylindrical Cu substrates. The magnetic layer thickness is controlled by deposition time and varies between 3 and 7 μm. Due to the columnar growth of Co, thicker layers have stronger perpendicular radial anisotropy. The field and frequency dependence of the impedance is measured in the kHz/MHz range. Although it is generally accepted that a radial anisotropy should be unfavorable to the MI effect, an increase of the MI ratio with the thickness of the magnetic layer, and thus with anisotropy, is observed. Results are explained in terms of a model considering the current distribution along the sample thickness with two well-defined regions having different transport and magnetic properties.

The nature and enhancement of magnetic surface contribution in model NiO nanoparticles

We report an alternative synthesis method and novel magnetic properties of Ni-oxide nanoparticles (NPs). The NPs were prepared by thermal decomposition of nickel phosphine complexes in a high-boiling-point organic solvent. These particles exhibit an interesting morphology constituted by a crystalline core and a broad disordered superficial shell. Our results suggest that the magnetic behavior is mainly dominated by strong surface effects at low temperature, which become evident through the observation of shifted hysteresis loops (approximately 2.2 kOe), coercivity enhancement (approximately 10.2 kOe) and high field irreversibility (>or=50 kOe). Both an exchange bias and a vertical shift in magnetization can be observed in this system below 35 K after field cooling. Additionally, the exchange bias field shows a linear dependence on the magnetization shift values, which elucidate the role of pinned spins on the exchange fields. The experimental data are analyzed in terms of the interplay between the interface exchange coupling and the antiferromagnetically ordered structure of the core.

Magnetostriction and GMI in Joule-heated CoFeSiB glass-covered microwires

Magnetic properties (magnetostricition and hysteresis loops) and giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) are investigated in CoFeSiB amorphous glass-covered microwires Joule-heated with or without axial applied stress.

Effects of the magnetoelastic anisotropy in Ni nanowire arrays

Nanoporous anodic alumina films on Al substrates have been used as templates for the growth of electrodeposited Ni nanowires. The nanowire diameter ranges between 35 and 65nm, and the hexagonal symmetry lattice constant is 105nm. The magnetization curves for these nanowire arrays with and without the Al substrate have been measured in a temperature range from 5to300K, from which the effective magnetic anisotropy, coercivity, and remanence have been determined. The effective easy magnetization axis changes from parallel to perpendicular to the Ni nanowire axis as temperature decreases, as a result of the magnetocrystalline and the magnetoelastic anisotropy terms, arising from the different thermal expansion coefficients of the ferromagnetic nanowires, the alumina and Al.

Red-green emitting and superparamagnetic nanomarkers containing Fe3O4 functionalized with calixarene and rare earth complexes.

The design of bifunctional magnetic luminescent nanomaterials containing Fe3O4 functionalized with rare earth ion complexes of calixarene and β-diketonate ligands is reported. Their preparation is accessible through a facile one-pot method. These novel Fe3O4@calix-Eu(TTA) (TTA = thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) and Fe3O4@calix-Tb(ACAC) (ACAC = acetylacetonate) magnetic luminescent nanomaterials show interesting superparamagnetic and photonic properties. The magnetic properties (M-H and ZFC/FC measurements) at temperatures of 5 and 300 K were explored to investigate the extent of coating and the crystallinity effect on the saturation magnetization values and blocking temperatures. Even though magnetite is a strong luminescence quencher, the coating of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles with synthetically functionalized rare earth complexes has overcome this difficulty. The intramolecular energy transfer from the T1 excited triplet states of TTA and ACAC ligands to the emitting levels of Eu(3+) and Tb(3+) in the nanomaterials and emission efficiencies are presented and discussed, as well as the structural conclusions from the values of the 4f-4f intensity parameters in the case of the Eu(3+) ion. These novel nanomaterials may act as the emitting layer for the red and green light for magnetic light-converting molecular devices (MLCMDs).

About the dipolar approach in magnetostatically coupled bistable magnetic micro and nanowires

In this paper, we have analyzed about the dipolar approach in magnetostatically coupled bistable magnetic micro and nanowires and shown the experimental hysteresis loop for two parallel interacting Fe base microwires 130 /spl mu/m in diameter and 11.7 cm in length, placed in contact.

Compact Ag@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles by means of single-step thermal decomposition reaction.

A temperature pause introduced in a simple single-step thermal decomposition of iron, with the presence of silver seeds formed in the same reaction mixture, gives rise to novel compact heterostructures: brick-like Ag@Fe3O4 core-shell nanoparticles. This novel method is relatively easy to implement, and could contribute to overcome the challenge of obtaining a multifunctional heteroparticle in which a noble metal is surrounded by magnetite. Structural analyses of the samples show 4 nm silver nanoparticles wrapped within compact cubic external structures of Fe oxide, with curious rectangular shape. The magnetic properties indicate a near superparamagnetic like behavior with a weak hysteresis at room temperature. The value of the anisotropy involved makes these particles candidates to potential applications in nanomedicine.

Nanometric particle size and phase controlled synthesis and characterization of γ-Fe2O3 or (α + γ)-Fe2O3 by a modified sol-gel method

Fe2O3 nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 15 to 53 nm were synthesized by a modified sol-gel method. Maghemite particles as well as particles with admixture of maghemite and hematite were obtained and characterized by XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis photoacoustic and Mossbauer spectroscopy, TEM, and magnetic measurements. The size and hematite/maghemite ratio of the nanoparticles were controlled by changing the Fe:PVA (poly (vinyl alcohol)) monomeric unit ratio used in the medium reaction (1:6, 1:12, 1:18, and 1:24). The average size of the nanoparticles decreases, and the maghemite content increases with increasing PVA amount until 1:18 ratio. The maghemite and hematite nanoparticles showed cubic and hexagonal morphology, respectively. Direct band gap energy were 1.77 and 1.91 eV for A6 and A18 samples. Zero-field-cooling–field-cooling curves show that samples present superparamagnetic behavior. Maghemite-hematite phase transition and hematite Neel transition were observed near 700 K and 1015 K, respectively. Magnet...