Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme

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MA: Fachverband Magnetismus

MA 18: Magnetic Thin Films II

MA 18.5: Talk

Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 16:15–16:30, H3

Reversal mechanism of AF-coupled [Co/Pt]/Ir multilayers — •C. Bran^1,2, N.S. Kiselev¹, O. Hellwig³, U. Wolff¹, A.N. Bogdanov¹, U.K. Rößler¹, L. Schultz¹, and V. Neu¹ — ¹IFW Dresden, Institute for Metallic Materials, P.O. Box 270116, 01171 Dresden, Germany — ²IMPRS "Dynamical Processes in Atoms, Molecules and Solids", Nöthnitzer Str. 38 01187 Dresden, Germany — ³San Jose Research Center, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, 650 Harry Road, San Jose, CA 95120, USA

The magnetization reversal process in Co/Pt-based systems usually involves the formation of vertically correlated band domains resulting from a competition between ferromagnetic (FM) exchange, perpendicular anisotropy and dipolar energies. The reversal process can be modified by incorporating Ir spacer layers with appropriate thickness, which establishes an antiferromagnetic (AF) interlayer exchange coupling between blocks of Co/Pt layers. The magnetization processes of AF coupled [(Co/Pt)_X−1/Co/Ir]₄ multilayers are investigated via MFM at room temperature by imaging the domain configuration in magnetic fields. The sample shows a new type of magnetization where FM band domains are present in the remanent state and effects of AF coupling appear in an intermediate field state, a magnetization path which has not been considered so far. The experimental results are compared quantitatively with a theoretical model developed for the investigated multilayers.