Abstract

The surface properties of air-exposed magnetic thin films are attracting increased interest as the magnetic disk drive industry moves toward higher storage densities, requiring ever smaller read sensor dimensions [1,2]. A rapid increase in the magnitude of magnetostriction in NiFe films with thickness below 5-6 nm is attributed to the surface properties of the films, which begin to dominate as the surface layer becomes a larger percentage of the total film volume [1, 2]. NiFe films are of particular interest in this regard, owing to the material’s extensive use in magnetic data storage devices.

© 1996 Optical Society of America