Switching characteristics of NiFe free layer with respect to hard axis field

Abstract The switching characteristics of NiFe free layers is investigated with respect to hard axis field in magnetic tunnel junctions. An AC magnetic field is swept along easy axis with a Helmholtz coil. As the hard axis field increases, the coercivity and the squareness of magnetoresistance loops decrease. When the hard axis field is larger than ±16.5 Oe, the NiFe free layer is saturated in the hard direction and switching coercivity decreases to the constant value of 2.6 Oe. Switching loops of NiFe layer shift as the NiFe free layer is magnetized along the hard direction. This shift is induced by the stray field of the NiFe free layer.