MAGNETIC AND MAGNETORESISTIVE PROPERTIES OF INHOMOGENEOUS MAGNETIC DUAL-LAYER FILMS

Magnetic and magnetoresistive properties of sputtered Co alloy dual-la yer films are compared with micromagnetic simulations. The simulations elucidate the details of the switching behavior of the dual-layer fil ms as a function of the interlayer exchange and magnetostatic interact ions. The simulations have led to a conceptual understanding of the co ercive field splitting caused by the interlayer interactions. A calcul ation of the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) has been included in the simulations. The AMR provides a second independent macroscopic qua ntity (in addition to the average magnetization) which can be measured and compared with the micromagnetic simulations. The AMR is more sens itive to the micromagnetic structure perpendicular to the applied fiel d and is a better test of the accuracy of the micromagnetic model. The simulations qualitatively describe the measured AMR data on CoNi-Cr-C oNi dual layers.