Effect of Crystallographic Texture on Magnetic Characteristics of Cobalt Nanowires

Cobalt nanowires with controlled diameters have been synthesized using electrochemical deposition in etched ion-track polycarbonate membranes. Structural characterization of these nanowires with diameter 70, 90, 120 nm and length 30 μm was performed by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The as-prepared wires show uniform diameter along the whole length and X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that [002] texture of these wires become more pronounced as diameter is reduced. Magnetic characterization of the nanowires shows a clear difference of squareness and coercivity between parallel and perpendicular orientations of the wires with respect to the applied field direction. In case of parallel applied field, the coercivity has been found to be decreasing with increasing diameter of the wires while in perpendicular case; the coercivity observes lower values for larger diameter. The results are explained by taking into account the magnetocrystalline and shape anisotropies with respect to the applied field and domain transformation mechanism when single domain limit is surpassed

Templates for engineered nano-objects for use in microwave, electronic devices and biomedical sensing application

Nanoporous templates have been developed and fabricated employing technology based on heavy ion bombardment and track etching of polymer films or polymer layers deposited on substrates; an alternative and unique tool based on the adaptation of an atomic force microscopy has been also developed to elaborate nanotemplates with pores of ultra-small dimensions down to a few nanometers. Different types of nano-objects elaborated using these templates have been further characterized regarding their specific properties : spin dependent phenomena in magnetic nano-objects (GMR, TMR, spin filtering, magneto-Coulomb effect, spin transfer torque phenomena), microwave properties of ferromagnetic nanowires arrays, optical properties of confined emitting polymer and and bio-medical applications of magnetic (Ni) and Ni/Au composite nanowires. Potential application of magnetic nanowire arrays has been also considered in sensor for automotive contact-less positioning system

Industrial applications of ion track technology

it4ip s.a. is a spin out from the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium) dedicated to the development and production of unique templates and membranes based on the combination of ion track technology of polymers. It supplies customers with hi-tech products, state-of-the-art research and product development services with template capability to make high value added membranes. Notably based on results coming from several collaborative R&D projects supported by European and Regional funding, recent improvements of ion track technology open new doors for fast growing applications in niche markets. This paper reviews some of these Hi-Tec applications in different fields such as in healthcare (oncology, drug control release combined to implant, artificial organs, ...), energy (fuel cells, batteries, ...), water decontamination and electronics (OLED...)