Hysteresis Loops of Magnetically Coupled Multilayers - Experiment and Calculations

In this paper calculations of magnetisation and magnetoresistance characteristics of the Spin Valve (SV) and Pseudo Spin Valve (PSV) spintronics structures are reported and compared with the experimental data. The magnetisation reversal process was analysed with respect to the Stoner- Wohlfahrt model of total surface energy in terms of uniaxial anisotropy, exchange coupling between ferromagnetic layers, unidirectional exchange anisotropy of pinned layer (modelled by exchange coupling between magnetisation of pinned layer and net magnetisation of antiferromagnetic layer with high anisotropy). The numerical simulation of the model to the experimental magnetisation data yielded the above parameters for SV and PSV structures. These parameters were used to more sophistically micromagnetic modelling tool originating from the project called Object Oriented Micromagnetic Framework. Influence of the shape anisotropy of the Magnetic Tunnelling Junction cell used in MRAM was simulated by means of micromagnetic simulations. Results were compared to those obtained from the spot Kerr measurements.