Anisotropy Coupling in Patterned Thin Films with Mixed Uniaxial Anisotropies

Abstract

Anisotropy coupling in thin films with mixed induced and shape anisotropies is investigated. A 200-nm-thick Co-Fe-Pd-B thin film with a large induced anisotropy of 57 Oe is fabricated and then patterned into micronsized cells to provide shape anisotropy, whose strength has a similar magnitude to that of the induced anisotropy for enhancing the anisotropy coupling. The angles between the two mixed anisotropies considered are 00, 90, and 110. Hysteresis loops measured under in-plane magnetic fields along various directions indicate no anisotropy coupling behaviour for all the three angles examined in this study.