Bulk and interfacial effects in exchange bias systems

J.D. Dutson; C. Hueerich; G. Yi; S. Mao; R.W. Chantrell; K. O'Grady; Gonzalo Vallejo Fernandez; L.E. Fernandez-Outon

doi:10.1088/0022-3727/40/5/S16

Bulk and interfacial effects in exchange bias systems

J.D. Dutson, C. Hueerich, G. Yi, S. Mao, R.W. Chantrell, K. O'Grady, Gonzalo Vallejo Fernandez, L.E. Fernandez-Outon

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In this work we report on an extensive and detailed study of exchange bias systems consisting of two ferromagnetic layers deposited with an antiferromagnetic layer of IrMn between them. Systems with two different ferromagnetic layers have been studied in which sample 1 had CoFe layers of different thicknesses and sample 2 had not only ferromagnetic layers of different thicknesses but also the composition of the upper ferromagnetic layers was changed from CoFe to NiFe. In both the samples the antiferromagnetic layer thickness was maintained constant at 5 nm, NiCr seed and capping layers (5 nm) were used on all samples. Such a system is of considerable interest as the properties of each ferromagnetic layer are affected by the same antiferromagnet. However differences in behaviour will occur due to the nature of the interfaces between the different layers as well as other parameters such as the ferromagnetic layer thickness. We have conducted a study of thermal activation effects in these systems where both or a single ferromagnetic layer can be reversed whilst the system is heated. We find that we can differentiate between bulk and interface effects indicating that the role of spin disorder at the interface is crucial in determining the final value of the exchange bias.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1293-1299
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Volume	40
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/40/5/S16
Publication status	Published - Mar 2007

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10.1088/0022-3727/40/5/S16

http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/40/5/S16

Cite this

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title = "Bulk and interfacial effects in exchange bias systems",

abstract = "In this work we report on an extensive and detailed study of exchange bias systems consisting of two ferromagnetic layers deposited with an antiferromagnetic layer of IrMn between them. Systems with two different ferromagnetic layers have been studied in which sample 1 had CoFe layers of different thicknesses and sample 2 had not only ferromagnetic layers of different thicknesses but also the composition of the upper ferromagnetic layers was changed from CoFe to NiFe. In both the samples the antiferromagnetic layer thickness was maintained constant at 5 nm, NiCr seed and capping layers (5 nm) were used on all samples. Such a system is of considerable interest as the properties of each ferromagnetic layer are affected by the same antiferromagnet. However differences in behaviour will occur due to the nature of the interfaces between the different layers as well as other parameters such as the ferromagnetic layer thickness. We have conducted a study of thermal activation effects in these systems where both or a single ferromagnetic layer can be reversed whilst the system is heated. We find that we can differentiate between bulk and interface effects indicating that the role of spin disorder at the interface is crucial in determining the final value of the exchange bias.",

author = "J.D. Dutson and C. Hueerich and G. Yi and S. Mao and R.W. Chantrell and K. O'Grady and {Vallejo Fernandez}, Gonzalo and L.E. Fernandez-Outon",

year = "2007",

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language = "English",

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T1 - Bulk and interfacial effects in exchange bias systems

AU - Dutson, J.D.

AU - Hueerich, C.

AU - Yi, G.

AU - Mao, S.

AU - Chantrell, R.W.

AU - O'Grady, K.

AU - Vallejo Fernandez, Gonzalo

AU - Fernandez-Outon, L.E.

PY - 2007/3

Y1 - 2007/3

N2 - In this work we report on an extensive and detailed study of exchange bias systems consisting of two ferromagnetic layers deposited with an antiferromagnetic layer of IrMn between them. Systems with two different ferromagnetic layers have been studied in which sample 1 had CoFe layers of different thicknesses and sample 2 had not only ferromagnetic layers of different thicknesses but also the composition of the upper ferromagnetic layers was changed from CoFe to NiFe. In both the samples the antiferromagnetic layer thickness was maintained constant at 5 nm, NiCr seed and capping layers (5 nm) were used on all samples. Such a system is of considerable interest as the properties of each ferromagnetic layer are affected by the same antiferromagnet. However differences in behaviour will occur due to the nature of the interfaces between the different layers as well as other parameters such as the ferromagnetic layer thickness. We have conducted a study of thermal activation effects in these systems where both or a single ferromagnetic layer can be reversed whilst the system is heated. We find that we can differentiate between bulk and interface effects indicating that the role of spin disorder at the interface is crucial in determining the final value of the exchange bias.

AB - In this work we report on an extensive and detailed study of exchange bias systems consisting of two ferromagnetic layers deposited with an antiferromagnetic layer of IrMn between them. Systems with two different ferromagnetic layers have been studied in which sample 1 had CoFe layers of different thicknesses and sample 2 had not only ferromagnetic layers of different thicknesses but also the composition of the upper ferromagnetic layers was changed from CoFe to NiFe. In both the samples the antiferromagnetic layer thickness was maintained constant at 5 nm, NiCr seed and capping layers (5 nm) were used on all samples. Such a system is of considerable interest as the properties of each ferromagnetic layer are affected by the same antiferromagnet. However differences in behaviour will occur due to the nature of the interfaces between the different layers as well as other parameters such as the ferromagnetic layer thickness. We have conducted a study of thermal activation effects in these systems where both or a single ferromagnetic layer can be reversed whilst the system is heated. We find that we can differentiate between bulk and interface effects indicating that the role of spin disorder at the interface is crucial in determining the final value of the exchange bias.

U2 - 10.1088/0022-3727/40/5/S16

DO - 10.1088/0022-3727/40/5/S16

M3 - Article

SN - 1361-6463

VL - 40

SP - 1293

EP - 1299

JO - Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

JF - Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics

IS - 5

ER -