Tuneable exchange-spring stiffness in amorphous magnetic trilayer structures

We investigate the magnetic properties of amorphous Sm10Co90/Co-60(Al70Zr30)(40)/Co-85(Al70Zr30)(15) exchange-spring magnet trilayers. The magnetically soft Co-85(Al70Zr30)(15) layer is coupled to the magnetically hard Sm10Co90 layer through the weakly magnetic low-T (c) Co-60(Al70Zr30)(40) spacer layer. The strength of the coupling can be controlled with temperature and the coupling persists above the intrinsic T (c) of the spacer layer due to a long-range magnetic proximity effect. Polarized neutron reflectivity is used to examine the magnetic profile of the trilayers during magnetization reversal. A two-step switching occurs, with the switching angle of the soft layer strongly dependent on the strength of the coupling. In the strong coupling regime a magnetic state can be achieved where the soft layer magnetization is perpendicular to the hard layer whereas in the weak coupling regime the soft layer reverses fully.

Automated summary

The passage describes the investigation of the magnetic properties of amorphous exchange-spring magnet trilayers, where the coupling between magnetically soft and hard layers can be controlled through temperature. The experiment shows that a magnetic state can be achieved with perpendicular magnetization of the soft layer in the strong coupling regime.