Exchange coupling of bilayers and synthetic antiferromagnets pinned to MnPt

Abstract

Exchange bias and blocking temperature were studied in MnPt based bottom-pinned bilayers and synthetic antiferromagnets (SAF) prepared by magnetron sputtering. The structure and magnetic properties were determined as a function of the MnPt layer thickness. Exchange coupling was found to be (Jex = 0.4 erg/cm2) for a MnPt (t ≤20 nm)/CoFe (5 nm) bilayer. The distribution of the blocking temperature TB was analyzed and its width ΔTB and center point TB,center determined. TB is about 280 ○C for thinner MnPt films, and increases to 330 °C for thick films. ΔT B is constant for thick MnPt but steadily increases as the thickness decreases. SAF structures show higher exchange bias and higher TB,center at thin layer thickness (tMnPt = 8.5 nm) compared to bilayers.