Angular dependence of the magnetization process in low and highly magnetostrictive amorphous glass-coated nanowires prepared by rapid quenching and drawing

Abstract The angular dependence of magnetic hysteresis in rapidly quenched amorphous nanowires with two compositions – the low magnetostrictive (Co0.94Fe0.06)72.5Si12.5B15 and the highly magnetostrictive Fe77.5Si7.5B15, respectively – is analyzed by means of micromagnetic simulations. The investigated samples were 30 and 100 nm in diameter. The magnetization process depends on the angle at which the external magnetic field is applied. Fe77.5Si7.5B15 amorphous nanowires with smaller diameters exhibit larger coercivity than (Co0.94Fe0.06)72.5Si12.5B15 ones, irrespective of the angle at which the external field is applied. Moreover, both types of nanowires have similar remanence values at 30 nm diameters. However, nanowires with larger diameters (100 nm), exhibit a more complex behavior, since the (Co0.94Fe0.06)72.5Si12.5B15 samples exhibit a slightly larger coercivity as compared to the Fe77.5Si7.5B15 ones. The magnetization reversal process is influenced by the interplay between the preponderant factors that affect the overall magnetic properties of amorphous nanowires with different compositions and dimensions. The results allow one to accurately tailor the magnetic behavior of rapidly solidified amorphous nanowires for various applications.