Microstructural and magnetic characterizations of CoFeCu electrodeposited in self-assembled mesoporous silicon

•CoFeCu deposit has been electrodeposited on self assembled mesoporous silicon.•SEM observation shows that CoFeCu embedded in Porous silicon channels.•Magnetic measurements show the anisotropy magnetic behavior of CoFeCu nanostructures.•The growth rate of nanowires is enhanced with an increase of current density.

Self-assembled mesoporous silicon with quasi-regular pore arrangements has been fabricated by the electrochemical anodization process in hydrofluoric acid solution. CoFeCu was electrodeposited in this structure from a bath containing sodium acetate as a complexing agent with a pH value of 5. The effect of current density on the morphology, the structure and the magnetic properties of CoFeCu deposit was studied by SEM, EDS, DRX and VSM. It has been shown that the morphology and structure of samples were strongly influenced by the current density and etching duration. The micrographs show the vertical and branched nanowires and also a discontinuous growth of wires. Further, the growth of a thick layer from the grain boundaries of released CoFeCu wires is produced. The magnetic hysteresis loops demonstrate that the CoFeCu nanowires exhibit easy magnetic axis perpendicular to the PS channels axis when the current density varied from 3 to 10 mA/cm2. Nevertheless, they reveal a no magnetic anisotropy of CoFeCu nanostructures deposited only in the outside of porous silicon, probably due to the vanishing the shape anisotropy.