Paired interaction effect on switching behaviors of patterned "Pac-man" array

Recently, "Pac-man" (PM) shaped magnetic elements have shown superior switching properties over the rectangular and elliptical structures and even better switching behaviors were observed in elongated PM (EPM) elements. In this study, the magnetic interaction between EPM pairs was investigated by varying spacing and changing pair configuration ("face-to-face" and "back-to-back" pair configuration) to increase memory density of MRAM or patterned recording media. Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and magnetic force microscopy were used to characterize the magnetic properties of the magnetic elements. Results show that "back-to-back" pair configuration shows weaker magnetostatic interactions than the "face-to-face" pair configuration. A "back-to-back" patterned configuration is more favorable for high density memory applications.