Magnetic Properties of Magnetic Nanowires With Ultra-Small Trap Sites Fabricated by Anodic Oxidation and Nanoindentation Using Scanning Probe Microscopy

We have focused on the magnetic memories using parallel-aligned nanowires without mechanical moving parts, in order to achieve the ultra-high transfer rate of more than 72 Gbps for future ultra-high definition TV. It is important for the storage devices, where the magnetic nanowires are utilized, that the trapping energy of the magnetic domains should be optimized precisely. In order to tune this energy finely, we have fabricated ultra-small notches less than 20 nm in the z-direction of [Co/Pd] nanowires with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy by the nano-scratch, anodic oxidation and nano-indentation method, instead of the conventional notches fabricated in-plane of nanowires. We have succeeded to entrap magnetic domain walls by these trap sites on the nanowire.