Effects of Deposited Copper Coatings on Drive Current Margins of Permalloy Film DRO Storage Elements

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Abstract
The object of this study is to obtain film storage elements exhibiting the expanded digit current margins required for improved storage element densities while maintaining the nominal drive current amplitudes. Copper films varying in thickness from 200 to 50 000 Å were deposited on conventional film elements at substrate temperatures, during copper deposition, of 190° to 330°C. Increases in element coercive force of up to 75% can be attained without significantly changing other basic magnetic properties of the elements. The disturb threshold of the elements can also be increased by nearly 75% with the write thresholds increasing only 10% to 15%. Average digit current margins of the copper-coated elements are consistently greater than the margins of the comparable uncoated Permalloy control elements with the same nominal drive currents. Worst-case margin comparisons of coated and uncoated arrays indicate no appreciable change in the uniformity of element switching properties. Irreversible and reversible temperature-induced changes in the margins are discussed.

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