Abstract
A thin-film magneto-impedance (MI) sensor has the unique property of step-like magneto-impedance change, in the case where the sensor has an in-plane uniaxial inclined easy axis. A domain observation shows that the step-like change is due to a magnetization transition within three states, such as longitudinal single domain with parallel state, the one with anti-parallel state and the inclined Landau-Lifshitz domain (ILLD). In a condition where the sensor has an easy axis of 70 degrees relative to the short side axis of the rectangular element, the transition is limited between the parallel and anti-parallel in spite of existing of stable ILLD. This paper reports a trial of control the magnetization transition from the single domain state to the ILLD state by controlling a normal field with canted angle distribution along the element position, which is aiming for realizing a low energy consumption sensor with inextinguishable memory function using a phenomenon of a magnetic domain transition for the use of sensor network.
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