Quasi-static switching of plated wires in external magnetic fields

Switching thresholds of plated wires were determined with slowly applied external magnetic fields, using both torquemeter and ac techniques. The samples included wires having helical easy-direction angles of 0°, 24°, 30°, and 60°. A study was made of the dependence of switching threshold H
C
on the angle θ between applied field and wire axis. Good agreement was found with the relation
H_{C}(\theta)=H_{C}(0)/\cos \theta
for all helical angles and for θ as high as 85°. It is concluded that with the cylindrical film geometry only the axial component of external field is effective in quasi-static switching over wide ranges of field direction and helical angle.