Title :
Thermal effect on the coercivity of ultrathin NiFe films
Author :
Hou, C. ; Fujiwara, H. ; Klemmer, T.J. ; Metzger, R.M. ; Doyle, W.D.
Author_Institution :
MINT Center, Alabama Univ., Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
fDate :
9/1/1997 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The temperature dependence of the coercivity of ultrathin NiFe films was measured by a SQUID in the temperature range from 5 to 300 K. The change in coercivity with temperature was much greater for thinner films than for thicker ones. A domain wall motion model is proposed to explain the experimental results. It is concluded that the intrinsic coercivity increases rapidly with decreasing thickness, especially in the range of several nm, and that the low coercivity observed for very thin films at room temperature is ascribed primarily to the thermal effect
Keywords :
coercive force; ferromagnetic materials; iron alloys; magnetic domain walls; magnetic thin films; magnetocaloric effects; nickel alloys; soft magnetic materials; sputtered coatings; 5 to 300 K; Ni80Fe20; NiFe; SQUID; coercivity; domain wall motion model; intrinsic coercivity; low coercivity; room temperature; soft magnetic layers; temperature dependence; temperature range; thermal effect; thickness; ultrathin NiFe films; Coercive force; Giant magnetoresistance; Glass; Magnetic properties; SQUIDs; Soft magnetic materials; Sputtering; Temperature dependence; Temperature distribution; Thickness measurement;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
