Magnetic memory elements with biaxial anisotropy

Crystallographically oriented, thin magnetic films are shown, from theory, to possess switching characteristics ideally suited for use in a noncoincident-current word-organized memory. These switching characteristics are derived from the theoretical critical curves for rotational single-domain switching for materials with biaxial or mixed biaxial and uniaxial anisotropy. The effect of domain wall motion and incomplete switching are discussed, and some preliminary experimental results are presented.