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We have measured and simulated the dynamics of magnetization reversal in 5 nm by 0.8 by 1.6 $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{60}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{40}$ thin films. The films measured form the upper electrode of a spin-polarized tunnel junction so that the magnetization direction of the film can be probed by measuring the tunneling resistance of the junction. When a magnetic field pulse is applied, the time to switch the film magnetization changes from greater than 10 ns to less than 500 ps as the pulse amplitude is increased from the coercive field to 10 mT and beyond. We have simulated these transitions using micromagnetic modeling of the exact experimental conditions. The simulations agree well with the experimental measurements.

Using a wide-field Kerr microscope, we have studied the magnetic domain structures of epitaxial and polycrystalline La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin films as well as a film having thermally induced 〈110〉 microcracks. The epitaxial film on a (001) SrTiO3 substrate has different magnetic domain behaviors for in-plane fields applied along the 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 directions. Magnetic domain orientation and contrast suggest a biaxial magnetic anisotropy with 〈110〉 easy axes. Defects such as microcracks and grain boundaries have a strong perturbing effect on the local magnetization and can lead to an enhanced and controllable spin-dependent scattering.

We have studied the switching properties of micron-scale magnetic tunnel junctions in two-dimensional magnetic fields. We present data on interlayer magnetic coupling for multiple samples. We interpret these data as the sum of a magnetostatic and a Neel coupling contribution. The data are presented as functions of layer structure. In addition, we have extracted information about interface roughness. We have also studied the area of switching critical curves as a function of device geometry.

The magnetic switching behavior of micron-size magnetic tunnel junctions has been studied in two-dimensional magnetic fields. By measuring junction resistance, we obtain information about the magnetization state of the free ferromagnetic layer. Magnetic properties of this layer are explored using the Stoner–Wohlfarth rotational model as a starting point. We use geometric parameters of the critical curves to obtain information about interlayer coupling and domain structure effects in the free layer.

We have studied bias and magnetic field dependence of voltage noise in metallic magnetic tunnel junctions with areal dimensions on the order of 1 μm. We generally observe noise with Gaussian amplitude distribution and pure 1/f power spectra at low frequencies. The 1/f noise scales with bias voltage as V2. Two kinds of deviations from this low frequency behavior have been observed. One is at fixed magnetic field when the junction bias reaches above a critical value, the other occurs at a fixed bias when the external magnetic field brings the sample to certain magnetic configurations. In both cases the noise spectra become dominated by Lorentzian noise and in both cases we have observed two level fluctuators in the time domain. We attribute the bias dependent noise to charge traps in the tunnel barrier. The field dependent noise is associated with the switching of the magnetization direction of portions of the top electrode, which we believe to be reversible.

We observe a strong correlation between magnetization relaxation and electrical resistivity in thin Permalloy $({\mathrm{Ni}}_{81}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{19},$ ``Py'') films. Electron scattering rates in the films were affected by varying film thickness and deposition conditions. This shows that the magnetization relaxation mechanism is analogous to ``bulk'' relaxation, where phonon scattering in bulk is replaced by surface and defect scattering in thin films. Another interesting finding is the increased magnetization damping with Pt layers adjacent to the Py films. This is attributed to the strong spin-orbit coupling in Pt, resulting in spin-flip scattering of electrons that enter from the Py.

The authors report on a newly discovered domain configuration, observed with a magnetooptical microscope, in narrow stripes of NiCoFe, CoFeCu and NiFe. The stripes-1 to 25 mu m wide and 0.5 to 2.0 mu m thick-are used as a model for a narrow-track pole of a recording head. The new domain configuration, with its magnetization oriented mostly in a plane perpendicular to the long dimension of the stripe, suggests the possibility of obtaining a large high-frequency susceptibility even in recording head poles as a narrow as 1 mu m. >

The cause of the readback waveform distortion in polycrystalline ferrite metal-in-gap (MIG) heads was investigated by using a magnetic force microscope (MFM) and a polarized optical microscope capable of microellipsometry for grain contrast and Kerr microscopy for domain contrast. It was revealed that, for high-asymmetry MIG heads, relatively large leakage of magnetic flux associated with complex multiple domains exists at remanence in the leading-side ferrite surface adjacent to the gap. The strengths of the magnetic flux and the magnetic domain states change irreproducibly when coil current is repeatedly applied. Such a remanent flux associated with the complex remanent state of magnetization distribution in the ferrite can cause an inhomogeneous flux coupling between the head and the recorded track, resulting in readback waveform asymmetry. >

A thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device (TAS-MRAM) with reduced power for reading and writing; the memory device comprising a tunnel barrier 14 sandwiched between a ferromagnetic sense layer 16 and a ferromagnetic storage layer 12. An antiferromagnetic pinning layer 30 is disposed adjacent to the ferromagnetic storage layer 12. The pinning layer 30 pins a magnetic moment of the storage layer until heating is applied. Either or both of the storage and sense ferromagnetic layers includes a non-magnetic material to reduce the magnetization of the respective layers. The reduction in the storage layer magnetization and sense layer magnetization reduces the magnetostatic interaction between the storage layer and sense layer, resulting in less read/write power. The ferromagnetic materials in the sense and storage layers may include at least one of Co, Fe, Ni, and any alloy including Co, Fe, Ni, whilst the non-magnetic material includes at least one of Ta, Ti, Hf, Cr, Nb, Mo, Zr and any alloy containing Ta, Ti, Hf, Cr, Nb, Mo, Zr. The antiferromagnetic pinning layer may have a diameter less than 250nm based on the reduction in magnetization of at least one of the storage or sense layer. The ferromagnetic storage layer may be formed by sputtering ,chemical vapour (vapor) deposition CVD or physical vapour deposition PVD , and may involve co-sputtering the ferromagnetic and non magnetic material, or forming multi-layers of ferromagnetic and non magnetic material. The ferromagnetic sense layer may also be formed by co-sputtering of ferromagnetic and non magnetic material or forming multilayers of the two materials. An alternative embodiment (figures 7A/B) comprises a tunnel barrier layer 14 sandwiched between a ferromagnetic storage layer 16 and a synthetic antiferromagnetic storage layer 12, which includes a first ferromagnetic storage layer 11 adjacent to the tunnel barrier layer and a non magnetic coupling layer 15 sandwiched between the first ferromagnetic storage layer 11 and a second ferromagnetic storage layer 13. The alternative structure further allows for a relative increase in the thickness of the first ferromagnetic layer 11.

A magnetooptic microscope was used to observe the time-averaged magnetization distribution in an inductive thin-film head excited by continuous sine waves. Domain activity in yokes driven with sinusoidal currents (1 to 20 MHz) was observed using the Kerr effect at video frame rates (0 to 30 Hz). Thus, the average location and shape of domains in the top yoke of the head could be recorded. It is shown that the domain pattern generally undergoes significant changes in a slow, repeatable evolution. Some changes lead to abrupt conversions of domain states. Although specific behavior varies from head to head, these conversions follow measurable curves having a common trend in the amplitude versus frequency space. Previous work on analysis of head response has not considered this type of dynamic response, although it appears to be common to many magnetic system. In addition to possible response at the excitation frequency, the wall network can also undergo large changes with a time scale much longer than the excitation period. Three possible mechanisms driving the domain conversions are outlined. >