Investigation of magnetization reversal and domain structures in perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnets by first-order reversal curves and magneto-optical Kerr effect

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/acd8aa

Abstract Perpendicular synthetic-antiferromagnet (p-SAF) has broad applications in spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory and magnetic sensors. In this study, the p-SAF films consisting of (Co/Ni)₃]/Ir(t_Ir)/[(Ni/Co)₃ are fabricated by magnetron sputtering technology. We study the domain structure and switching field distribution in p-SAF by changing the thickness of the infrared space layer. The strongest exchange coupling field (H_ex) is observed when the thickness of Ir layer (t_Ir) is 0.7 nm and becoming weak according to the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida-type coupling at 1.05 nm, 2.1 nm, 4.55 nm, and 4.9 nm in sequence. Furthermore, the domain switching process between the upper Co/Ni stack and the bottom Co/Ni stack is different because of the antiferromagnet coupling. Compared with ferromagnet coupling films, the antiferromagnet samples possess three irreversible reversal regions in the first-order reversal curve distribution. With t_Ir increasing, these irreversible reversal regions become denser and smaller. The results from this study will help us understand the details of the magnetization reversal process in the p-SAF.

Keywords: perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnet first-order reversal curves magnetization reversal process domain

Received: 12 February 2023
Revised: 21 May 2023
Accepted manuscript online: 25 May 2023

PACS:	75.50.Ee	(Antiferromagnetics)
	75.70.Kw	(Domain structure (including magnetic bubbles and vortices))
	85.75.-d	(Magnetoelectronics; spintronics: devices exploiting spin polarized transport or integrated magnetic fields)
	75.60.Jk	(Magnetization reversal mechanisms)

Fund: Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province, China (Grant No. 22JR5RA775), the Science and Technology Program of Lanzhou, China (Grant No. 2021-1-157), the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, China (Grant Nos. 2020A1515110998 and 2022A1515012123), the Outstanding Youth Foundation of Gansu Academy of Science, China (Grant No. 2021YQ- 01), and the Innovative Team Construction Project of Gansu Academy of Sciences, China (Grant No. 2020CX005-01).

Corresponding Authors: Jia-Nan Li
E-mail: lijn@lingnan.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Xiang-Qian Wang(王向谦), Jia-Nan Li(李佳楠), Kai-Zhou He(何开宙),Ming-Ling Xie(谢明玲), and Xu-Peng Zhu(朱旭鹏) Investigation of magnetization reversal and domain structures in perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnets by first-order reversal curves and magneto-optical Kerr effect 2023 Chin. Phys. B 32 117502

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Investigation of magnetization reversal and domain structures in perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnets by first-order reversal curves and magneto-optical Kerr effect

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