Title :
Magneto-optical study of exchange spring degradation
Author :
Vlasko-Vlasov, V.K. ; Welp, U. ; Jiang, J.S. ; Inomata, A. ; Miller, D.J. ; Crabtree, G.W. ; Bader, S.D.
Author_Institution :
Argonne Nat. Lab., IL, USA
fDate :
7/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Magnetic structures of SmCo/Fe bilayers during remagnetization and after multiple field cycling are studied magneto-optically (MO). Rotation of the remanent magnetization in the soft Fe layer away from the easy axis is found after large enough remagnetizing fields. This is indicative of the appearance of biquadratic coupling between the layers. It is explained by the fluctuation exchange mechanism due to the field induced magnetic inhomogeneity of the hard layer. Such an inhomogeneity revealed in the MO patterns also explains the degradation of the bias field in exchange springs
Keywords :
cobalt alloys; exchange interactions (electron); iron; magnetic multilayers; magneto-optical effects; remanence; samarium alloys; SmCo-Fe; SmCo/Fe bilayer; bias field; biquadratic coupling; easy axis; exchange spring; fluctuation mechanism; hard layer; magnetic inhomogeneity; magnetic structure; magneto-optical properties; multiple field cycling; remagnetization; remanent magnetization; soft layer; Couplings; Degradation; Iron; Laboratories; Magnetic anisotropy; Magnetic materials; Magnetization; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Polarization; Springs;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
