The role of material microstructure in the magnetic behavior of amorphous and polycrystalline Co<Subscript>x</Subscript>Si<Subscript>1-x</Subscript> lines

The role of material microstructure in the magnetic anisotropy of real nanostructures has been studied by the comparison of the magnetic behavior of arrays of amorphous and polycrystalline Co<Subscript>x</Subscript>Si<Subscript>1-x </Subscript>lines. From the experimental measurements of angular dependences of remanences parallel and perpendicular to the applied field we determine the angular dispersion of effective local easy axis of anisotropy. We have proved that amorphous lines have a dispersion of effective anisotropy axis much smaller than the polycrystalline samples. As a consequence, amorphous lines have a better defined magnetic behaviour, pointing the interest of the fabrication of nanostructures made of amorphous materials. Copyright EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag 2005