Local magnetoresistive response in thin-film Ni-Fe read elements: a sub-micrometer-resolution measurement system

Author

Cross, R. William ; Kos, Anthony B. ; Thompson, C.A. ; Petersen, Timothy W. ; Brug, James A.

Author_Institution

Nat. Inst. of Stand. & Technol., Boulder, CO, USA

Volume

28

Issue

5

fYear

1992

fDate

9/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3060

Lastpage

3065

Abstract

Bulk and local magnetoresistive responses in Ni-Fe thin films were measured as a function of applied magnetic field and field angle. The measurements were made using a four-probe resistance measurement system, which consisted of two scanning microprobes for voltage taps, each less than 1 μm in tip diameter. The scanning resolution of the microprobes was 0.5 μm. The system was used to determine domain formation and motion in magnetoresistive read heads. Longitudinal fields, produced by demagnetizing or external field components, may cause domain formation and subsequent domain-wall motion (and annihilation). This leads to Barkhausen noise, which is detrimental to the performance of the device as a magnetic read head. Experimental results for both the bulk and local responses were in qualitative agreement with micromagnetic theory

Keywords

Barkhausen effect; electric resistance measurement; iron alloys; magnetic domain walls; magnetic heads; magnetic thin film devices; magnetic variables measurement; magnetoresistive devices; nickel alloys; Barkhausen noise; Ni-Fe thin films; applied magnetic field; bulk response; demagnetizing; domain formation; domain-wall motion; external field components; field angle; four-probe resistance measurement system; local responses; magnetic read head; magnetoresistive read heads; magnetoresistive response; read elements; scanning microprobes; scanning resolution; submicron resolution measurement system; Demagnetization; Electrical resistance measurement; Goniometers; Magnetic field measurement; Magnetic films; Magnetic heads; Magnetic noise; Magnetoresistance; Transistors; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.179716

Filename

179716