Spatially nonuniform local magnetization switching behavior in Co/Pd multilayer films

Abstract

We report the experimental finding that magnetization reversal of ferromagnetic thin films exhibits a spatially nonuniform dependence on the strength of a reversing applied field on a submicrometer scale. Field dependence of local magnetization switching time was determined from the local magnetization viscosity curves triggered by various strengths of a reversing applied field, respectively on spatially-resolved local regions by means of a magneto-optical Kerr microscope. It is found that the nonuniform local variation of the field dependence enhances with increasing repeats of layers in Co/Pd multilayer films, and its distribution could be well analyzed by a simple analytic function. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.