Spin-glass-like behavior in CoO nanoparticles and the origin of exchange bias in layered CoO/ferromagnet structures

The magnetic behavior of CoO nanoparticles and layered CoO/ferromagnetic (FM) structures has been investigated by magnetization and hysteresis loop measurements. In the amorphous CoO, a large uncompensation of spins is found that is closely related to spin-glass-like behavior below a freezing temperature T(F) approximately 215-220 K. The spin-glass-like phase may be described by the de Almeida-Thouless line for Ising spin systems. The exchange bias in the layered CoO/FM structures is explained by the spin-glass-like state in the nanoparticles constituting the CoO film.