STUDY OF THE EXCHANGE BIAS FIELD OF NiFe/FeMn BILAYERS

The exchange bias field of NiFe/FeMn films with Ta/ Cu buffer was proved tobe lower than that of the films with Ta buffer. The crystallographic texture, surface roughness andelements distribution were examined in these two sets of samples, and there is no apparentdifference for the texture and roughness. However, the segregation of Cu atoms above NiFe surface inthe multilayer of Ta/Cu/NiFe has been observed by using the angle-resolved X-ray photoelectronspectroscopy (XPS). The decrease of the exchange bias field for NiFe/FeMn films with Ta/ Cu bufferlayers is mainly caused by the Cu atoms segregation at the interface between NiFe and FeMn.

Influence of temperature on thermal relaxation of exchange bias field in CoFe/Cu/CoFe/IrMn spin valve

A multilayered spin valve film with a structure of Ta(5 nm)/Co_(75)Fe_(25)(5 nm)/Cu(2.5 nm)/Co_(75)Fe_(25)(5 nm)/Ir_(20)Mn_(80)(12 nm)/Ta(8 nm)is prepared by the high-vacuum direct current(DC)magnetron sputtering.The effect of temperature on the spin valve structure and the magnetic properties are studied by x-ray diffraction(XRD),atomic force microscopy(AFM),and vibrating sample magnetometry.The effect of temperature on the exchange bias field thermomagnetic properties of multilayered spin valve is studied by the residence time of samples in a reverse saturation field.The results show that as the temperature increases,the IrMn(111)texture weakens,surface/interface roughness increases,and the exchange bias field decreases.Below 200℃,the exchange bias field decreases with the residence time increasing,and at the beginning of the negative saturation field,the exchange bias field Hex decreases first quickly and then slowly gradually.When the temperature is greater than 200℃,the exchange bias field is unchanged with the residence time increasing.

Perpendicular magnetization and exchange bias in epitaxial NiO/[Ni/Pt]_(2)multilayers

The realization of perpendicular magnetization and perpendicular exchange bias(PEB)in magnetic multilayers is important for the spintronic applications.NiO(t)/[Ni(4 nm)/Pt(1 nm)]_(2)multilayers with varying the NiO layer thickness t have been epitaxially deposited on SrTiO;(001)substrates.Perpendicular magnetization can be achieved when t<25 nm.Perpendicular magnetization originates from strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA),mainly resulting from interfacial strain induced by the lattice mismatch between the Ni and Pt layers.The PMA energy constant decreases monotonically with increasing t,due to the weakening of Ni(001)orientation and a little degradation of the Ni–Pt interface.Furthermore,significant PEB can be observed though NiO layer has spin compensated(001)crystalline plane.The PEB field increases monotonically with increasing t,which is considered to result from the thickness dependent anisotropy of the NiO layer.

Inverse dependence of exchange bias and coercivity on cooling field caused by interfacial randomization in nanosystems with Co sparsely distributed in CoFe_(2)O_(4) matrix

We conceive a model of nanosystems where Co is uniformly,randomly distributed into a CoFe_(2)O_(4)(CFO)matrix,and study the influences of composition and CFO antiferromagnetic exchange coupling(JCFO)on zero-field-cooled/field-cooled magnetization behavior and the dependencies of exchange bias field(H_(E))and coercivity(H_(C))on Co/CFO interfacial coupling(J_(Co/CFO)),composition and cooling field(H_(FC)),based on a modified Monte Carlo method.With decreasing temperature,the zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization curves are overlapped and increasing initially,and then splitting at a critical temperature(T_(P)),below which the field-cooled magnetization continues increasing while the zero-field-cooled magnetization exhibits a peak and drops,indicating a magnetically frozen state.A larger J_(CFO) induces an elevated T_(P) and a reduced magnetization,while the opposite results are obtained by a higher Co occupation fraction(P_(Co)).On the other hand,H_(E) is nonmonotonic with J_(Co/CFO )and the peak decreases and shifts to a lower J_(Co/CFO)value for a larger P_(Co).H_(C) increases monotonically with increasing J_(Co/CFO).Moreover,H_(E) is inversely proportional to P_(Co) when PCo varies from 0.11 to 0.30,indicating the exchange bias is still an interfacial effect.Finally,for a nonzero J_(CFO),H_(E) may be suppressed and accompanied by the recovery of H_(C) with increasing H_(FC).Otherwise,H_(C) for zero J_(CFO) becomes high and insensitive to H_(FC).It is ascribed to the uniform contact between Co and CFO,leading to the Co magnetization reversal and the CFO magnetization precisely controlled by H_(FC).This work opens a new avenue to control the exchange bias in nanosystems through interfacial randomization.

Spontaneous positive exchange bias effect in SrFeO_(3-x)/SrCoO_(3-x) epitaxial bilayer

A novel phenomenon of spontaneous positive exchange bias(PEB)is reported in SrFeO_(3-x)/SrCoO_(3-x) epitaxial bilayer without undergoing any magnetic field treatment.When inserting a thick SrTiO3(STO)nonmagnetic spacer(about 6 nm)into the bilayer interface,this phenomenon still exists.Based on a series of testing means,the spontaneous PEB effect is supposed to be mainly related to short-range ferromagnetic(FM)exchange coupling at the interface when there is no STO spacer.As the STO interlayer reaches up to a certain thickness,shortrange coupling interaction basically disappears.At this time,the long-range dipole field may be responsible for the coupling of the FM and antiferromagnetic(AFM)layer across the nonmagnetic STO and then leads to the same bias effect.Our discoveries provide a new way to realize and manipulate spontaneous exchange bias-based spintronics devices,such as magnetic recording heads and spin valves.

磁性多层膜的X射线光电子能谱研究

用射频 /直流磁控溅射法制备了NiOx/Ni81Fe19和Co/AlOx/Co磁性薄膜。利用X射线光电子能谱研究了NiOx 对Ni81Fe19耦合交换场Hex与NiOx 化学状态的关系以及Co/AlOx/Co磁性薄膜中AlOx 对Co膜的覆盖状况。结果表明 :Hex的大小只与 +2价镍有关 ,单质镍和 +3价镍对Hex没什么作用 ;在Co/AlOx/Co磁性薄膜中 ,Al层将Co膜完全覆盖所需要的最小厚度为 2 .0nm ,用角分辨XPS测出的Al氧化厚度为 1

XPS Studies of Magnetic Multilayers

NiOx/Ni81Fe19 and Co/AlOx/Co magnetic multilayers were fabricated by reactive RF/DC magnetron sputtering on clean glass substrates and oxidized Si (100) substrates, respectively. The exchange biasing field (H-ex) between NiO4 and Ni81Fe19 as a function of NiOx oxidation states was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The oxidation states and the oxide thickness of Al layers in magnetic multilayer films consisting of Co/AlOx/Co were also analyzed. It is found that the H-sr of NiOx/Ni81Fe19 films only depends on Ni2+ but not on Ni3+ or Ni. The bottom Co can be completely covered by depositing an A I layer thicker than 2.0 nm. The oxide layer was Al2O3, and its thickness was 1.15 mn.

XPS Studies of Chemical States of NiO/NiFe Interface

Ta/NTiO/NiFe/Ta multilayers were prepared by radio frequency reactive and dc magnetron sputtering. The exchange coupling field between NiO and NiFe reached 9.6 x 10(3) A/m. The compositions and chemical states at the interface region of NiO/NiFe were studied using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and peak decomposition technique, The results show that there are two thermodynamically favorable reactions at NiO/NiFe interface: NiO+Fe = Ni + FeO and 3NiO+2Fe =3 Ni+Fe2O3. The thickness of the chemical reaction area estimated by angle-resolved XPS was about 1-1.5 nm. These interface reaction products appear magnetic defects, and the exchange coupling field H-ex and the coereivity H-c of NiO/NiFe are affected by these defects.