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We have studied magnetization reversal behaviors of diamond-shaped NiFe nanofilm elements with different length-to-width ratios (LWRs) between long and short diagonals by micromagnetic simulation. The results show that the reversal process of the diamond-shaped element strongly depends on the LWR. If the LWR is smaller than 2, the reversal starts at the element edge, but it starts from the center of the element with larger LWR. With a bias field and when the LWR is larger than 2, all the elements experience a similar reversal process, which is simple and unique. In addition, the switching field becomes stable and nearly constant. These results suggest that the diamond-shaped NiFe nanofilm element can be potentially used in magnetic random access memory.

We have found that in-plane magnetostriction characteristics at low fields can be greatly improved by an oblique sputtering technique. We report a study of deposition of in-plane anisotropic TbFe giant magnetostrictive films by dc magnetron oblique sputtering, including the influences of deposition angle on TbFe film magnetic and magnetostrictive performances. The in-plane magnetization of TbFe films at 1600 kA/m is drastically increased with a change of deposition angles from 90/spl deg/ to 15/spl deg/. Magnetic domain structures explored by magnetic force microscopy indicate that the easy magnetization directions of the films can be gradually changed from perpendicular to the film plane at sufficiently shallow deposition angles. The in-plane magnetostrictive coefficients /spl lambda/ at 16 kA/m also can be increased by decreasing the deposition angles from 90/spl deg/ to 15/spl deg/. The significant variation in the in-plane magnetic and magnetostrictive performances can be explained by the decrease of perpendicular anisotropy of TbFe films.