Stress-Assisted Reversal of Perpendicular Magnetization of Thin Films With Giant Magnetostriction Constant

Stress-assisted magnetization reversal process have been proposed. In order to attain magnetization reversal at lower stress, Terfenol-D films which had giant magnetostrictive constant were adopted as recording layers. Fe composition in the Terfenol-D film was slightly increased to attain high squareness ratio and appropriate coercivity. Magnetostriction constant of the films had high value even if composition ratio was slightly away from that of Terfenol-D. As a result, magnetization turned from perpendicular to in-plane direction at lower stress compared to the previous works. Stress-assisted magnetization reversal measurement told that the important characteristic is to reduce coercivity and saturation field with keeping perpendicular magnetic anisotropy when the stress is applied.