Autori: C. Tiusan et al

Editorial: The American Physical Society, The American Physical Society, Physical Review B, B 64, p.104423, 2000.

Rezumat:

A powerful technique for investigating field-dependent micromagnetism in thin magnetic layers is presented. The technique uses the spin-polarized tunnel-transport mechanism in magnetic-tunnel junctions. We used this technique to study the micromagnetic-reversal mechanism in an artificial ferrimagnetic system, which consists of two ferromagnetic layers strongly antiferromagnetically coupled through a nonmagnetic interlayer. We show that the high sensitivity of the spin-polarized current to the fluctuations of magnetization allows to probe the magnetic-domain structure in the magnetic electrodes. As a contrast to standard M-H and giant-magnetoresistance measurements, which are only able to probe the global magnetic state of this artificial ferrimagnet, we show here that the tunnel magnetoresistance discriminates the field-dependent evolution of the domain phases in selective magnetic layers. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capability of a tunnel-magnetoresistance signal to be used as a quantitative probe for investigating residual walls during the reversal process. A powerful technique for investigating field-dependent micromagnetism in thin magnetic layers is presented. The technique uses the spin-polarized tunnel-transport mechanism in magnetic-tunnel junctions. We used this technique to study the micromagnetic-reversal mechanism in an artificial ferrimagnetic system, which consists of two ferromagnetic layers strongly antiferromagnetically coupled through a nonmagnetic interlayer. We show that the high sensitivity of the spin-polarized current to the fluctuations of magnetization allows to probe the magnetic-domain structure in the magnetic electrodes. As a contrast to standard M-H and giant-magnetoresistance measurements, which are only able to probe the global magnetic state of this artificial ferrimagnet, we show here that the tunnel magnetoresistance discriminates the field-dependent evolution of the domain phases in selective magnetic layers. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capability of a tunnel-magnetoresistance signal to be used as a quantitative probe for investigating residual walls during the reversal process.

Cuvinte cheie: Jonctiuni magnetice tunel // Magnet tunnel junctions, magnetism

URL: http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.64.104423