Size dependence of magnetization reversal of ring shaped magnetic tunnel junction

Abstract: The size dependence of magnetization reversal of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) rings has been investigated. The MTJ rings, with outer diameter of 4, 2 and 1μm and inner diameter of 1.5, 1 and 0.5μm were fabricated by a top–down technique. The magnetoresistance curves manifest all of the magnetic domain configurations during magnetization reversal in different sized rings. Various transition processes were observed, such as four transition, three transition and two transition in the largest, middle and smallest MTJ ring, respectively. Furthermore, the biasing fields observed from major loops decrease with decreasing size, which may result from edge roughness produced in the ion-milling process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]