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High Exchange Coupling Field and Thermal Stability of Antiferromagnetic Alloy NiMn Spin Valve Films
Journal of Magnetics, Volume 5, Number 2, 30 Jun 2000, Pages 50-54
Abstract
NiMn-pinned spin valve films consisting of a layered glass/NiFe/Co/Cu/Co/NiFe/NiMn/Ta stack were made by do magnetron sputtering. After deposition, the structure was annealed in a series of cycles each including three hours at 220 ℃, 2×10-6 Torr, in a field of 350 Oe, to create an ordered antiferromagnetic structure in the NiMn layer and produce a strong unidirectional pinning field in the pinned magnetic layer. Optimum spin valve properties were obtained after seven annealing cycles, or 21 hours at 220 ℃, and were : MR ratio 1%, exchange coupling field 620 Oe, and coercivity of pinned layer 250 Oe. The exchange coupling field remained constant up to an operating temperature of 175 ℃, and the blocking temperature was about 380 ℃.
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