Effect of interface on coupling of NiFeCo/TaN/NiFeCo sandwich films

Coupled NiFeCo/TaN/NiFeCo films with coercivity of 0.42 and 5.94 Oe were obtained by varying the substrate bias conditions of the NiFeCo films. The film with low coercivity had a sharp magnetization reversal process, i.e. small switching field distribution. On the other hand, a large switching field distribution, approximately 3.5 Oe, was found on the sample film with high coercivity. Such different magnetic characteristic may be attributed to altering the domain wall energy associated with induced coupling at NiFeCo/TaN interface due to pit formation in the NiFeCo film.