Finite-temperature coercivity of multilayers of hard and soft magnets

We discuss results of finite-temperature Monte Carlo simulation for the switching field of multilayers of hard and soft magnets. The maximum of the energy product as a function of the soft layer thickness is very weak and becomes weaker as the temperature is increased. However, the maximum becomes more pronounced for the energy product cost as a function of the soft layer thickness. The effect of the dipolar interaction is significant but does not change the qualitative trend of the coercive field as a function of the soft layer thickness. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)01115-4].