Micromagnetic domain structures and magnetization switching mechanism in submicron thin film elements

Author

Choi, B.C. ; Pujada, B.R. ; Hong, Y.K. ; Park, M.H. ; Han, H. ; Gee, S.H. ; Donohoe, G.W.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys. & Astron., Victoria Univ., BC, Canada

fYear

2005

fDate

4-8 April 2005

Firstpage

1845

Lastpage

1846

Abstract

Experimental and numerical micromagnetic studies of the magnetization configuration and switching process in Pac-man (PM) shaped Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ samples with different geometries defined by the variation of the slot angle were presented. Scanning electron microscope images of patterned PM-I and PM-II magnetic elements were shown. These permalloy films were sputter deposited and their magnetic configurations were measured. The results concluded that vortex core formation and vortex-driven complex magnetization reversal can be effectively suppressed by modifying the slot angles. The hysteresis loops and domain configurations during the reversal implied that PM-II elements with large slot angles were more suitable for magnetic random access memory (MRAM) applications.

Keywords

Permalloy; ferromagnetic materials; magnetic domains; magnetic hysteresis; magnetic thin films; magnetisation reversal; micromagnetics; scanning electron microscopy; Ni₈₀Fe₂₀; Pac-man shaped samples; domain configurations; hysteresis loops; magnetic configurations; magnetic elements; magnetic random access memory applications; magnetization configuration; magnetization switching mechanism; micromagnetic domain structures; permalloy films; scanning electron microscope; slot angle; sputter deposition; submicron thin film elements; vortex core formation; vortex-driven complex magnetization reversal; Geometry; Iron; Magnetic domains; Magnetic films; Magnetic force microscopy; Magnetic switching; Magnetization; Micromagnetics; Scanning electron microscopy; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Magnetics Conference, 2005. INTERMAG Asia 2005. Digests of the IEEE International

Print_ISBN

0-7803-9009-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/INTMAG.2005.1464356

Filename

1464356