Focused Magneto-optical Kerr Effect measurement of single pseudo spin-valve ring elements

Author

Hayward, T.J. ; Van Belle, F. ; Bland, J. ; Castano, F.J. ; Jung, W. ; Morecroft, D. ; Ross, C.A.

Author_Institution

Cambridge Univ., Cambridge

fYear

2006

fDate

8-12 May 2006

Firstpage

939

Lastpage

939

Abstract

This paper, presents a study of a range of micrometer-scale PSV (pseudo spin-valve) ring elements using focused magneto-optic Kerr effect (FMOKE) magnetometery. The rings were patterned using e-beam lithography and lift off processing and have a layer configuration of 8 nm Co/6.5 nm Cu/6 nm permalloy. The laser spot of the FMOKE magnetometer can be focused to a spot size of approximately 4 mum (full width half maximum) allowing the measurement of individual ring elements. This approach allows the resolution of fine details in hysteresis loops which would be lost in the averaging of more traditional, array based, measurement techniques.

Keywords

Kerr magneto-optical effect; Permalloy; cobalt; copper; magnetic hysteresis; magnetic multilayers; spin valves; Co; Co-Cu-FeNi - Interface; Cu; FMOKE magnetometery; NiFe; e-beam lithography; focused magneto-optical Kerr effect; hysteresis loops; lift off processing; permalloy; pseudo spin-valve ring elements; Cobalt; Kerr effect; Magnetic devices; Magnetic field measurement; Magnetic hysteresis; Magnetic separation; Magnetometers; Magnetooptic effects; Magnetostatics; Materials science and technology;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Magnetics Conference, 2006. INTERMAG 2006. IEEE International

Conference_Location

San Diego, CA

Print_ISBN

1-4244-1479-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/INTMAG.2006.374970

Filename

4262372