Title :
Effect of junction geometry on switching field and reversal behavior in permalloy wires
Author :
Lee, W.Y. ; Xu, Y.B. ; Vaz, C.A.F. ; Hirohata, A. ; Leung, H.T. ; Yao, C.C. ; Choi, B. Ch ; Bland, J.A.C. ; Rousseaux, F. ; Cambril, E. ; Launois, H.
Author_Institution :
Cavendish Lab., Cambridge Univ., UK
fDate :
9/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
We report on the magnetization reversal process and switching field behavior in permalloy (Ni80Fe20) wire structures investigated by magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements. A combination of electron beam lithography and a lift-off process has been utilized to fabricate three sets of wire structures from a 30 Å Au/300 Å Ni80Fe20/GaAs(100) continuous film: straight wires, elbow wires, and cross wires with width w=0.5-50 μm and length l=200 μm. We found that the switching field and reversal behavior in the elbow and the cross wires depend upon the junction geometry, which nucleates or suppresses reverse domains according to the wire width. Consequently the junction determines the magnetization reversal process and switching field in the elbow and cross wires
Keywords :
Kerr magneto-optical effect; Permalloy; magnetic switching; magnetisation reversal; magnetoresistance; Ni80Fe20; cross wires; elbow wires; electron beam lithography; junction geometry; lift-off process; magneto-optic Kerr effect; magnetoresistance; permalloy wires; reversal behavior; straight wires; switching field; Elbow; Geometry; Iron; Kerr effect; Magnetic field measurement; Magnetic switching; Magnetization reversal; Magnetooptic effects; Magnetoresistance; Wires;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
