Critical fields of an exchange coupled two-layer composite particle

High-density recording systems require magnetic bits with perpendicular easy axis and large magnetocrystalline anisotropy to guarantee thermal stability. However, the large magnetic fields up to 10 T for the reversal of magnetization cannot be afforded by conventional write heads. Therefore, composite exchange coupled spring systems of soft and hard magnetic layers may be used to reduce the switching field. In this case the reversal of magnetization in general takes place in two steps: a nucleation process in the soft layer and a depinning process for the displacement of the domain wall at the phase boundary of the soft and the hard magnetic layer. The nucleation and depinning fields are determined on the basis of the continuum theory of micromagnetism. It is shown that the nucleation fields decrease according to a 1/L-2 law with increasing thickness L of the soft layer and the depinning field of the charged Neel wall may be reduced by factors of 3-6 in comparison with the ideal nucleation field of the hard magnetic phase. One-step rectangular hysteresis loops are obtained for thicknesses of the soft layer smaller than the exchange length of the magnetostatic field. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.