Domain-wall induced coupling between ferromagnetic layers

The remanent magnetization of a hard ferromagnetic CoPtCr layer is progress ively decreased by repeated switching of a neighboring soft magnetic layer. We show that this effect depends strongly on the thickness of the CoPtCr l ayer and the spacing between the hard and soft layers. We propose a model t hat accounts for these results: An interlayer magnetostatic coupling is ind uced by large stray fields from domain walls that form within the soft laye r during its magnetization reversal.