360<tex>$^circ$</tex>Domain Wall Investigation for Sensor Applications

Abstract

The stability of 360/spl deg/ domain walls is suitable for future sensor applications. We present a new idea for such a sensor based on special spin valve geometries, where 360/spl deg/ domain walls can be generated with an appropriate magnetic field and stored. Micro magnetic simulations and the first experimental structures show the feasibility of the idea. The magnetoresistive effect in our spin-valve sandwich is up to 0.5% for one 360/spl deg/ domain wall.