This book focuses on the investigation of the basic properties of magnetic nanostructures, and the fundamental physics of novel nanostructures for submicron devices. It provides a broad overview of the latest developments in this emerging and fascinating field of nano-sized materials, with emphasis on the practical understanding and operation of devices using or based on nanostructured magnetic materials. The topics also include submicron technologies, nanoscale characterization, new techniques for the synthesis of nanoparticles as well as an in-depth treatment of their characterization and chemical and physical properties. Potential industrial applications of these advanced materials are also discussed.

Intensive investigations on nanoscale magnetism have promoted remarkable progressintechnologicalapplicationsofmagnetisminvariousareas.Thete- nical progress of recent years in the preparations of multilayer thin ?lms and nanowires led to the discovery of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR), imp- ing an extraordinary change in the resistivity of the material by varying the applied external magnetic ?eld. The Nobel Prize for Physics in 2007 was awardedtoAlbertFertandPeterGrun ] bergfortheirdiscoveryofGMR.App- cations of this phenomenon have revolutionizedtechniques for retrieving data fromharddisks.Thediscoveryalsoplaysamajorroleinvariousmagnetics- sors as well as the development of a new generation of electronics. The use of GMRcanberegardedasoneofthe?rstmajorapplicationsofnanotechnology. The GMR materials have already found applications as sensors of low magnetic ?eld, a key component of computer hard disk heads, magnetores- tive RAM chips etc. The "read" heads for magnetic hard disk drives have allowed us to increase the storage density on a disk drive from 1 to 20 Gbit per square inch, merely by the incorporation of the new GMR materials. On the other hand, recently discovered giant magneto-impedance (GMI) mate- als look very promising in the development of a new generation of microwave band electronic devices (such as switches, attenuators, and antennas) which could be managed electrically."

This volume addresses the exciting and rapidly developing topic of ultrahigh-density magnetic data storage. It is the most advanced book on magnetic nanostructures, basics and applications. It combines modern topics in nanomagnetism with issues relating to the fabrication and characterization of magnetic nanostructures. This book will be of interest to R and D scientists and it provides an accessible introduction to the essential issues.

Intensive investigations on nanoscale magnetism have promoted remarkable progressintechnologicalapplicationsofmagnetisminvariousareas.Thete- nical progress of recent years in the preparations of multilayer thin ?lms and nanowires led to the discovery of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR), imp- ing an extraordinary change in the resistivity of the material by varying the applied external magnetic ?eld. The Nobel Prize for Physics in 2007 was awardedtoAlbertFertandPeterGrun ] bergfortheirdiscoveryofGMR.App- cations of this phenomenon have revolutionizedtechniques for retrieving data fromharddisks.Thediscoveryalsoplaysamajorroleinvariousmagnetics- sors as well as the development of a new generation of electronics. The use of GMRcanberegardedasoneofthe?rstmajorapplicationsofnanotechnology. The GMR materials have already found applications as sensors of low magnetic ?eld, a key component of computer hard disk heads, magnetores- tive RAM chips etc. The "read" heads for magnetic hard disk drives have allowed us to increase the storage density on a disk drive from 1 to 20 Gbit per square inch, merely by the incorporation of the new GMR materials. On the other hand, recently discovered giant magneto-impedance (GMI) mate- als look very promising in the development of a new generation of microwave band electronic devices (such as switches, attenuators, and antennas) which could be managed electrically."

This volume addresses the exciting and rapidly developing topic of ultrahigh-density magnetic data storage. It is the most advanced book on magnetic nanostructures, basics and applications. It combines modern topics in nanomagnetism with issues relating to the fabrication and characterization of magnetic nanostructures. This book will be of interest to R and D scientists and it provides an accessible introduction to the essential issues.

Interest in research on nanoscale materials is steadily increasing: nano-structured magnetic materials exhibit new and interesting physical properties, which cannot be found in the bulk. Many of these unique properties have great potential for technical applications in magneto-sensors, bio-sensors, magneto-electronics, data storage, magnetic heads of computer hard disks, single-electron devises, microwave electronic devices, etc. Current research concentrates on device design, synthesis and the characterization of nanostructured materials. The contributions to this book concentrate on magnetic properties of nanoscale magnetic materials, especially on fabrication and characterization, and the physics underlying the unique properties of these structures and devices.

Interest in research on nanoscale materials is steadily increasing: nano-structured magnetic materials exhibit new and interesting physical properties, which cannot be found in the bulk. Many of these unique properties have great potential for technical applications in magneto-sensors, bio-sensors, magneto-electronics, data storage, magnetic heads of computer hard disks, single-electron devises, microwave electronic devices, etc. Current research concentrates on device design, synthesis and the characterization of nanostructured materials. The contributions to this book concentrate on magnetic properties of nanoscale magnetic materials, especially on fabrication and characterization, and the physics underlying the unique properties of these structures and devices.

This book focuses on the investigation of the basic properties of magnetic nanostructures, and the fundamental physics of novel nanostructures for submicron devices. It provides a broad overview of the latest developments in this emerging and fascinating field of nano-sized materials, with emphasis on the practical understanding and operation of devices using or based on nanostructured magnetic materials. The topics also include submicron technologies, nanoscale characterization, new techniques for the synthesis of nanoparticles as well as an in-depth treatment of their characterization and chemical and physical properties. Potential industrial applications of these advanced materials are also discussed.