Antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic thin films with perpendicular anisotropy exhibit domain overlap regions originating from magnetostatic stray fields localized in the vicinity of the domain walls. Using high resolution magnetic force microscopy, the authors investigate these overlap regions in multilayers with various strengths of the interlayer exchange coupling. They develop a simple model that provides a quantitative explanation of the formation of these regions and the relationship between the domain overlap width and the coupling strength. Their results are important for application of magnetic layered structures with perpendicular anisotropy in advanced magnetoresistive devices.
REFERENCES
1.
S.
Mangin
, D.
Ravelosona
, J. A.
Katine
, M. J.
Carey
, B. D.
Terris
, and E. E.
Fullerton
, Nat. Mater.
5
, 210
(2006
).2.
N.
Nishimura
, T.
Hirai
, A.
Koganei
, T.
Ikeda
, K.
Okano
, Y.
Sekiguchi
, and Y.
Osada
, J. Appl. Phys.
91
, 5246
(2002
).3.
Z. Y.
Liu
and S.
Adenwalla
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
91
, 037207
(2003
).4.
S.
Wiebel
, J.-P.
Jamet
, N.
Vernier
, A.
Mougin
, J.
Ferré
, V.
Baltz
, B.
Rodmacq
, and B.
Dieny
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
86
, 142502
(2005
).5.
O.
Hellwig
, A.
Berger
, and E. E.
Fullerton
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
91
, 197203
(2003
).6.
L.
Thomas
, M.
Samant
, and S.
Parkin
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
84
, 1816
(2000
).7.
W.
Lew
, S.
Li
, L.
Lopez-Diaz
, D.
Hatton
, and J.
Bland
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
90
, 217201
(2003
).8.
R.
Schäfer
, R.
Urban
, D.
Ullmann
, H.
Meyerheim
, B.
Heinrich
, L.
Schultz
, and J.
Kirschner
, Phys. Rev. B
65
, 144405
(2002
).9.
U.
Rucker
, S.
Demokritov
, E.
Tsymbal
, P.
Grünberg
, and W.
Zinn
, J. Appl. Phys.
78
, 387
(1995
).10.
Z. Y.
Liu
, L.
Yue
, D. J.
Keavney
, and S.
Adenwalla
, Phys. Rev. B
70
, 224423
(2004
).11.
M. Ye.
Zhuravlev
, E. Y.
Tsymbal
, and S. S.
Jaswal
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
92
, 219703
(2004
).12.
A.
Baruth
, D. J.
Keavney
, J. D.
Burton
, K.
Janicka
, E. Y.
Tsymbal
, L.
Yuan
, S. H.
Liou
, and S.
Adenwalla
, Phys. Rev. B
74
, 054419
(2006
).13.
S. H.
Liou
and Y. D.
Yao
, J. Magn. Magn. Mater.
190
, 130
(1998
).14.
L.
Gao
, L. P.
Yue
, T.
Yokota
, R.
Skomski
, S. H.
Liou
, H.
Takahoshi
, H.
Saito
, and S.
Ishio
, IEEE Trans. Magn.
40
, 2194
(2004
).15.
Y. C.
Cho
, S. B.
Choe
, and S. C.
Shin
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
80
, 452
(2002
).© 2006 American Institute of Physics.
2006
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.
