Partial Switching of Thin Permalloy Films

Abstract

The switching processes in thin Permalloy films have been investigated by means of partial switching. The procedure was to interrupt the switching process before completion and then to complete the reversal with a second switching pulse. Comparison of partial switching with complete switching in thin films confirms the existence of nonuniform rotation, a reversal mode different from either wall motion or uniform rotation. The domain structure of the partially switched states has also been determined. Several characteristics of nonuniform rotation have been inferred from the domain structure and from the partial switching wave forms. However, it has not been found possible to correlate these characteristics with a detailed model of the nonuniform rotational process.