Domain walls and magnetic properties of very thin permalloy films for magnetoresistive sensors

The magnetic properties (coercivity and magnetoresistance) of very thin permalloy films were studied for their use in magnetoresistive (MR) sensors. Permalloy films were deposited under different conditions and a comparison was made in their properties. Domain walls in these films were studied using a specially modified TEM. Barkhausen noise was studied by differentiating the M-H characteristic and its origin is discussed in the context of the magnetic domain wall structures.