We have studied the switching characteristics of patterned synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) elements for application as a free layer in Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM). There has been recent interest [1], [2] in using these structures, by virtue of their lower net moment, to reduce the shape anisotropy and therefore the switching field of patterned elements. We show, however, there is also an effective amplification of the intrinsic material anisotropy in competition with the reduction in shape anisotropy.
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