Exchange bias energy in Co/Pt/IrMn multilayers with perpendicular and in-plane anisotropy

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol. 316; no. 2; pp. 151 - 154
• Main Authors: Czapkiewicz, M., Stobiecki, T., Rak, R., Żoła¸dź, M., van Dijken, S.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-09-2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Domain patterns; Exact sciences and technology; Exchange bias; Interfacial magnetic properties (multilayers, magnetic quantum wells, superlattices, magnetic heterostructures); Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetic properties of surface, thin films and multilayers; Perpendicular anisotropy; Physics; 85.70.Kh; Perpendicular anisotropy; Domain patterns; 75.50. - d; 75.70.Kw; Exchange bias; Magnetization reversal; Magnetization; Iridium alloys; Cobalt; Thickness; Multilayers; 75.50.-d; 75.70.Kw; 85.70.Kh; Platinum; Magnetic anisotropy; Transition elements; Exchange bias; Perpendicular anisotropy; Domain patterns; Coercive force; Manganese alloys; High field; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Exchange interactions; Transition element alloys
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2007.02.039

The magnetization reversal process in perpendicularly biased
[
Pt
/
Co
]
3
/
d
Pt
Pt/IrMn and in-plane biased
Co
/
d
Pt
Pt/IrMn multilayers with
0
nm
⩽
d
Pt
⩽
1.2
nm
was investigated using Kerr magnetometry and Kerr microscopy. For the system with in-plane magnetic anisotropy, the exchange bias field decreases monotonically with Pt insertion layer thickness, while its coercivity remains constant. The samples with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, on the other hand, exhibit maximum exchange bias and minimum coercivity for
d
Pt
=
0.1
nm
. In both cases, the existence of large exchange bias fields correlates with a high domain density during magnetization reversal. The interface exchange coupling energy is larger for the in-plane biased films than for the perpendicularly biased multilayers.