Electrochemical deposition of nickel nanowire arrays in single-crystal mica films

Nanopores with lateral dimensions as small as 30 nm have been fabricated by nuclear track etching in 5 mu m thick, single-crystal muscovite mica wafers. The nanopores have a diamond shape with their axes aligned with the crystal axes of mica as a result of anisotropic etching. Nickel nanowire arrays have been fabricated by electrodeposition into the nanopores. The magnetic properties of the nanowire arrays are compared with those fabricated in polymer membranes. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)04419-8].