Composition-controlled exchange bias training effect in FeCr/IrMn bilayers

For FeCr/IrMn bilayers, the exchange bias training effect and the magnetization reversal mechanism are correlated to each other and depend on the composition of the ferromagnetic layer. For high Fe contents, the asymmetric magnetization reversal is observed. During the training effect, both exchange field and coercivity decrease monotonically, suggesting a type I training effect. For low Fe contents, the domain wall depinning takes place for the two hysteresis loop branches. Only exchange field diminution happens in the training effect. The coercivity almost does not change in the process, corresponding to a type II training effect. It is suggested that the motion of antiferromagnetic spins is modified by the magnetization reversal mechanism in the ferromagnetic layer.     

Investigation of magnetization reversal process in pinned CoFeB thin film by in-situ Lorentz TEM

Exchange bias effect has been widely employed for various magnetic devices.The experimentally reported magnitude of exchange bias field is often smaller than that predicted theoretically,which is considered to be due to the partly pinned spins of ferromagnetic layer by antiferromagnetic layer.However,mapping the distribution of pinned spins is challenging.In this work,we directly image the reverse domain nucleation and domain wall movement process in the exchange biased Co Fe B/Ir Mn bilayers by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy.From the in-situ experiments,we obtain the distribution mapping of the pinning strength,showing that only 1/6 of the ferromagnetic layer at the interface is strongly pinned by the antiferromagnetic layer.Our results prove the existence of an inhomogeneous pinning effect in exchange bias systems.     

Exchange couplings in magnetic films

Recent advances in the study of exchange couplings in magnetic films are introduced.To provide a comprehensive understanding of exchange coupling,we have designed different bilayers,trilayers and multilayers,such as anisotropic hard/soft-magnetic multilayer films,ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic trilayers,[Pt/Co]/NiFe/NiO heterostructures,Co/NiO and Co/NiO/Fe trilayers on an anodic aluminum oxide(AAO) template.The exchange-coupling interaction between soft-and hard-magnetic phases,interlayer and interfacial exchange couplings and magnetic and magnetotransport properties in these magnetic films have been investigated in detail by adjusting the magnetic anisotropy of ferromagnetic layers and by changing the thickness of the spacer layer,ferromagnetic layer,and antiferromagnetic layer.Some particular physical phenomena have been observed and explained.     

Rotation of the pinning direction in the exchange bias training effect in polycrystalline NiFe/FeMn bilayers

For polycrystalline NiFe/FeMn bilayers, we have observed and quantified the rotation of the pinning direction in the exchange bias training and recovery effects. During consecutive hysteresis loops, the rotation of the pinning direction strongly depends on the magnetization reversal mechanism of the ferromagnet layer. The interfacial uncompensated magnetic moment of antiferromagnetic grains may be irreversibly switched and rotated when the magnetization reversal process of the ferromagnet layer is accompanied by domain wall motion and domain rotation, respectively.     

Interlayer coupling between out-of-plane magnetized multilayers across a thin antiferromagnetic spacer

The interlayer exchange coupling between Co/Pt perpendicular-to-plane magnetized layers across a thin IrMn spacer layer was experimentally studied. In contrast to earlier studies on interlayer coupling through antiferromagnetic NiO, which revealed an oscillatory coupling behavior as a function of NiO thickness, a ferromagnetic coupling was observed here in the range of IrMn thickness between 0.6 and 1.5 nm and antiferromagnetic between 1.5 and 2.5 nm. The antiferromagnetic coupling is attributed to an orange peel magnetostatic mechanism whereas the ferromagnetic coupling is attributed to an out-of-plane polarization of the antiferromagnetic IrMn layer induced by the interfacial exchange interaction with the adjacent out-of-plane ferromagnetic layers. Measurements of hysteresis loops versus temperature show that the coupling vanishes at 510 K for t_IrMn=1 nm. This critical temperature is far below the Néel temperature of bulk IrMn, but above the blocking temperature of IrMn/Co bilayers at such thickness. Using a one-dimensional model describing a partial domain wall in the antiferromagnet, we explain the coupling in terms of an out-of-plane tilt of the Mn moments at the IrMn/(Co/Pt) interfaces yielding a weak net polarization of the IrMn. Finally, the non-oscillatory decay of the coupling was attributed to the compensated spin structure of the IrMn in the parallel to the interfaces.     

Creation of an antiferromagnetic exchange spring

We present evidence for the creation of an exchange spring in an antiferromagnet due to exchange coupling to a ferromagnet. X-ray magnetic linear dichroism spectroscopy on single crystal Co/NiO(001) shows that a partial domain wall is wound up at the surface of the antiferromagnet when the adjacent ferromagnet is rotated by a magnetic field. We determine the interface exchange stiffness and the antiferromagnetic domain wall energy from the field dependence of the direction of the antiferromagnetic axis, the antiferromagnetic pendant to a ferromagnetic hysteresis loop. The existence of a planar antiferromagnetic domain wall, proven by our measurement, is a key assumption of most exchange bias models.     

Co-Ni/FeMn双层膜中磁化强度对交换偏置的影响

固定CoNiFeMn双层膜中反铁磁层的厚度,改变CoNi铁磁层的成分来调节磁化强度,从而研究铁磁层的饱和磁化强度对CoNiFeMn双层膜中交换偏置的影响.研究表明,CoNiFeMn界面的交换耦合能U不是一个常量,而是随(MFM)12的增加而线性增加.其原因是铁磁层磁矩通过界面相互作用在反铁磁层中形成的局域交换磁场,在磁场冷却时影响反铁磁层的自旋结构或磁畴结构及双层膜中的交换偏置 关键词： 交换偏置 磁化强度     

Structural and magnetic properties of transition metal oxide/metal bilayers prepared by in situ oxidation

Metal oxide/metal bilayers have been prepared by in situ oxidation. Ultrathin layers with antiferromagnetic properties are formed at room temperature by controlled in situ exposure of clean Fe, Co and Ni layers to pure oxygen gas. X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy and transmisson electron microscopy have been applied to provide a detailed analysis of the layered structure. The magnetic properties of these antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic bilayers are characterized by an interfacial coupling (exchange bias) which drastically varies with the type of antiferromagnetic material.     

Exchange bias like effect induced by domain walls in FeGd/FeSn bilayers

A study of exchange bias phenomenon in ferrimagnetic /ferromagnetic FeGd/ FeSn bilayers is presented. The amorphous FeSn and FeGd alloys have been grown by co-evaporation. Specific growth conditions allow to induce an uniaxial anisotropy in both alloys in a parallel direction. After saturation of the bilayers under a positive field, the hysteresis loop of one of the layer is shifted towards a positive field H _E . The sign of the exchange bias field H _E is shown to be due to the antiferromagnetic coupling between the net magnetizations of both alloys. The field H _E is studied as a function of the thickness of each layer and of the temperature. Using ac-susceptibility measurements and polarized neutron reflectometry, it is shown that the reversal of magnetization of the bilayers is dominated by the presence of a domain wall at the interface. This exchange bias system is shown to act as a potential well for the magnetic domain wall. Within this assumption and thanks to a precise magnetic characterization of each alloy, the evolution of H _E with the thickness of the layers is well reproduced using simple one-dimensional analytical models for the domain wall or a more elaborate numerical approach.Received: 20 February 2003, Published online: 9 September 2003PACS: 75.60.Ch Domain walls and domain structure - 75.70.-i Magnetic properties of thin films, surfaces, and interfaces - 75.25.+z Spin arrangements in magnetically ordered materials (including neutron and spin-polarized electron studies, synchrotron-source X-ray scattering, etc.)     

Magnetic Properties of Fe/Ni and Fe/Co Multilayer Thin Films

In this work, the magnetic and transport properties of Fe/SiO₂/Ni and Fe/SiO₂/Co multilayers grown on Si/SiO₂ substrates have been studied. The samples have been prepared by two-stage deposition process. In the first stage, Fe layer and SiO₂ interlayer of both samples are grown by ion beam deposition technique at room temperature. Then the samples are taken out to ambient atmosphere and loaded into a pulse laser deposition (PLD) chamber. Prior to the deposition of top layer, the samples are cleaned by annealing at 150 °C. In the second stage, Ni (or Co) layer is prepared by PLD technique at room temperature. The thickness of deposited layers has been measured by Rutherford back scattering (RBS). Magnetic properties of ferromagnetic bilayers have been investigated by room-temperature ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. Standard four-point magneto-transport measurements at various temperatures have been performed. Two-step switching in the in-plane hysteresis loops of Fe/SiO₂/Ni and Fe/SiO₂/Co samples is observed. A crossing in the middle of hysteresis loops of both samples points to a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the magnetic layers of the stacks. Saturation magnetization values have been obtained from the VSM measurements of samples with DC magnetic field perpendicular to the films surface. Magneto-transport measurements have shown the predominant contribution of anisotropic magnetic resistance both at room and low temperatures. FMR studies of Fe/SiO₂/Ni and Fe/SiO₂/Co samples have revealed additional non-uniform (surface and bulk SWR) modes, which behavior has been explained in the framework of the surface inhomogeneity model. An origin of the antiferromagnetic interaction has been discussed.     

Influence of magnetic field sweep rate on the hysteresis loops of Ni0.8Fe0.2/Fe0.5Mn0.5 exchange bias bilayer

The influence of the magnetic field sweep rate on the hysteresis loops of exchange bias Ni0.8Fe0.2/Fe0.5Mn0.5 bilayers has been investigated with a vibrating sample magnetometer. It was found that the sweep rate of 13.6 kA/4πms is high enough to bring about obvious changes in the hysteresis loops of the exchange bias bilayer. High sweep rate in the magnetization reversal stage enlarges the coercivity of the sample, while high sweep rate in the saturation state reduces the coercivity. The above phenomena were attributed to magnetic viscosity in the ferromagnetic layer enhanced by the interface exchange interaction and domain magnetization reversals assisted by thermal fluctuation in the antiferromagnetic layer respectively.     

Field sweep rate dynamics in magnetic tunnel junctions

The dynamical behavior of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) was investigated by varying the magnetic field sweep rate from 0.01 mT/s to 10 T/s in a magneto optical Kerr effect set-up. The bias fields of the pinned and free ferromagnetic electrodes were found to drastically decrease above a field sweep rate of 1 T/s. This decrease in the bias fields coincides with a change in the magnetization reversal process from domain wall motion at low-field sweep rates to domain nucleation at high-field sweep rates. The nucleation of inverse domains in the ferromagnetic layer changes the interfacial spin structure of the antiferromagnetic layer and therefore the magnitude of the exchange bias effect. Furthermore, the nucleation of domains induces a discontinuous magnetic charge density at the tunnel barrier interfaces and this reduces the interlayer coupling between the two ferromagnetic electrodes of the MTJ.     

Exchange bias for ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bilayers with the uniaxial anisotropy being misaligned with the exchange anisotropy

Using the principle of minimal energy and S-W model, the exchange bias for ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bilayers has been investigated when the uniaxial anisotropy is misaligned with the exchange anisotropy. According to the relation between the energy of the bilayer and the orientation of ferromagnetic magnetization, it is found that the bilayer will be in the monostable state or bistable state when the external field is absent in the initial magnetization state. The monostable state or bistable state of the bilayer, which determines the angular dependence of exchange bias directly, is controlled by the competition between the exchange anisotropy and uniaxial anisotropy. When the applied field is parallel to the intrinsic easy axes and intrinsic hard axes, one of the switching fields of the hysteresis loop shows an abrupt change, while the other keep continuous by analyzing the magnetization reversal processes. Consequently, the exchange bias field and the coercivity will show a jump phenomenon. The numerical calculations indicate that both the magnitude and direction of the exchange anisotropy will significantly affect the angular dependence of exchange bias. The jump phenomenon of exchange bias is an intrinsic property of the bilayer, which is dependent on the interfacial exchange-coupling constant, the orientation of the exchange anisotropy, the thickness and uniaxial anisotropy constant of the ferromagnetic layer.     

铁磁/反铁磁双层膜系统中的磁畴动力学行为

比较了铁磁单层膜与铁磁/反铁磁双层膜结构中的磁畴演化行为, 发现由于反铁磁层膜对铁磁层膜的耦合作用使得系统的磁畴壁厚度、 磁畴壁等效质量、磁畴壁移动速度等发生了改变, 系统的矫顽场增强, 并出现了交换偏置场. 文章具体研究了反铁磁层耦合作用下其磁畴壁厚度、 等效质量以及磁畴壁移动速度等与反铁磁层的净磁化、 磁各向异性、界面耦合强度以及温度等的关系; 并研究了其对铁磁/反铁磁双层膜中的交换偏置场、矫顽场的影响. 进而 从磁畴结构的形成及其演化上揭示了铁磁/反铁磁双 层膜中出现交换偏置以及矫顽场增加的物理机制.     

Step-induced frustration of antiferromagnetic order in Mn on Fe(001)

We studied the spin arrangement in ultrathin antiferromagnetic Mn films in contact with a ferromagnetic Fe(001) substrate using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy. Mn shows a layerwise antiferromagnetic order on Fe(001). In regions where Mn overgrows Fe steps, a frustration of the antiferromagnetic order occurs which is similar to a 180 degrees domain wall. This topologically enforced frustration was studied as a function of Mn thickness. A linear increase of the width of the frustration region with the Mn thickness was found.     

Exchange bias training effect in coupled all ferromagnetic bilayer structures

Exchange coupled bilayers of soft and hard ferromagnetic thin films show remarkable analogies to conventional antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic exchange bias heterostructures. Not only do all these ferromagnetic bilayers exhibit a tunable exchange bias effect, they also show a distinct training behavior upon cycling the soft layer through consecutive hysteresis loops. In contrast with conventional exchange bias systems, such all ferromagnetic bilayer structures allow the observation of training induced changes in the bias-setting hardmagnetic layer by means of simple magnetometry. Our experiments show unambiguously that the exchange bias training effect is driven by deviations from equilibrium in the pinning layer. A comparison of our experimental data with predictions from a theory based upon triggered relaxation phenomena shows excellent agreement.     

Effect of ion irradiation on magnetic property of exchange coupled interfacial structures of Fe/NiO and NiO/Fe on Si substrates

The role of defects on the magnetic behaviour of exchange coupled interfacial structures of Fe/NiO and NiO/Fe on Si substrates has been studied. For introduction of defects in the structures, swift (～ 100 MeV) heavy ion irradiation has been used, which is known to cause structural and microstructural modifications. In our earlier study [Srivastava, N; Srivastava, P.C. J. Appl. Phys. 2012, 111, 123909] on similar structures, the significant magnetic behaviour (of exchange bias (EB) and coercivity) for Fe/NiO/nSi interfacial structure was observed and discussed in the realm of interfacial structural modification in the antiferromagnetic layer of the structure. The irradiated interfacial structures have been characterized from X-ray diffraction and M–H characteristics. Structural investigation has shown the formation of various silicide and oxide phases due to the irradiation-induced interfacial intermixing. A significant enhancement in EB field and coercivity has been observed for Fe/NiO/nSi interfacial structure on the irradiation (as compared to unirradiated ones). The observed enhanced EB and coercivity on the irradiation has been understood due to the creation of domain wall pinning centres across the interface as a result of ion irradiation. Moreover, the present study confirms the role of defects in the antiferromagnetic layer to cause the significant change in EB and coercivity. The observation supports the domain state model of EB in the exchange-coupled structures.     

外场作用下铁电/铁磁双层膜的极化磁化性质

建立了铁电/铁磁双层膜模型,铁电层的电矩用连续标量描述,而铁磁层的自旋应用经典矢量描述.利用蒙特卡罗方法模拟了体系的热力学性质和极化、磁化行为.给出了零场下体系的内能、比热、极化和磁化随温度变化的关系,并分别研究了体系在外磁场和外电场下的极化和磁化行为.模拟结果表明,双层膜体系的内能、比热、极化和磁化性质因层间耦合系数的不同而明显不同,当界面耦合较弱时,双层膜表现出各自的热力学性质,当层间耦合增强到一定程度时,双层膜耦合为一个整体,表现出统一的热力学性质.该双层膜在外场中形成电滞回线和磁滞回线,并表现出偏置特性,界面耦合强度和温度影响滞后回线和偏置现象.     

铁磁/反铁磁双层膜中的磁锻炼效应

采用Monte Carlo 方法,研究铁磁/反铁磁双层膜中的磁锻炼效应.结果表明,反铁磁层中冷场诱发的界面净磁化(钉扎效应)的磁弛豫可导致系统中的交换偏置场的磁锻炼效应.进一步研究表明,反铁磁层中掺杂可调控交换偏置场的磁锻炼效应,原因在于反铁磁层中掺杂能有效地改变冷场诱发的净磁化的磁弛豫过程.     

Three-dimensional noncollinear antiferromagnetic order in single-crystalline FeMn ultrathin films

We present experimental evidence for a three-dimensional noncollinear antiferromagnetic spin structure in ultrathin single-crystalline fcc Fe50Mn50 layers using magnetic circular dichroism photoelectron emission microscopy and x-ray magnetic linear dichroism. Layer-resolved as-grown domain images of epitaxial trilayers grown on Cu(001) in which FeMn is sandwiched between ferromagnetic layers with different easy axes reveal the presence of antiferromagnetic spin components in the film plane and normal to the film plane. An FeMn spin structure with no collinear order in the film plane is consistent with the absence of x-ray magnetic linear dichroism in Fe L3 absorption in FeMn/Co bilayers.