ANTIFERROMAGNETICALLY COUPLED MULTILAYER SYSTEMS - MAGNETIZATION CURVES IN THE CASE OF UNEQUAL THICKNESSES OF THE MAGNETIC LAYERS

The magnetization behaviour of an antiferromagnetically coupled metallic multilayer system is often more complicated than a simple switch from antiparallel to parallel alignment. In this article we calculate and discuss magnetization loops for such systems. In particular, we study the magnetization behaviour for unequal thicknesses of the ferromagnetic layers involved. In the case when one of the ferromagnetic layers is very thick, we demonstrate that the experimental magnetization loops can be understood by assuming that a partial domain wall can be induced into the thick layer. It is also shown how the magnitude of the antiferromagnetic coupling can be derived from experimental magnetization curves.