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Detection of Pinholes in Ultrathin Films by Magnetic Coupling

Published

Author(s)

William F. Egelhoff Jr., L Gan, P J. Chen, Cedric J. Powell, Robert McMichael, R A. Fry

Abstract

When two magnetic films are separated by a nonmagnetic film, pinholes in the nonmagnetic film can allow direct contact and, thereby, magnetic coupling between the two magnetic films. We have studied this coupling by having one of the magnetic films pinned and leaving the other free to switch at low field. The pinning is accomplished with test structures based on exchange bias and synthetic antiferromagnetic layers. Since the pinning strength increases sharply at low temperatures but orange-peel coupling does not, low temperature measurements appear to identify whether an observed coupling arises primarily from magnetic cojpling through pinholes or primarily from orange-peel roughness.
Proceedings Title
Applications of Ferromagnetic and Optical Materials, Storage, and Magnetoelectronics
Volume
674
Conference Dates
April 1, 2001
Conference Location
Undefined
Conference Title
Materials Research Society Symposium

Keywords

akynubyn oxide, copper, magnetic thin films, pinholes

Citation

Egelhoff Jr., W. , Gan, L. , Chen, P. , Powell, C. , McMichael, R. and Fry, R. (2001), Detection of Pinholes in Ultrathin Films by Magnetic Coupling, Applications of Ferromagnetic and Optical Materials, Storage, and Magnetoelectronics, Undefined (Accessed December 13, 2024)

Issues

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Created December 31, 2000, Updated October 12, 2021