Abstract
Here, we systematically investigated the influence of ion bombardment with different fluences on the strength and direction of the exchange bias coupling in Au/Co/NiO systems with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the Co layer. We found that the direction of the exchange bias coupling can be reversed as a result of ion bombardment performed in an external magnetic field which is in the opposite direction to the magnetic field applied during film deposition. Moreover, the strength of the exchange bias coupling can be tailored by varying the ion fluence. These results show behaviors similar to the results found for systems of ferromagnetic layers with in-plane anisotropy. Our experimental work, supported by a two-energy-level model, demonstrates that exchange bias coupling can be tuned in a layered system with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy using ion bombardment.
Highlights
The Exchange-Bias (EB) effect in antiferromagnet (AFM)/ferromagnet (FM) thin film systems with in-plane [1,2,3,4] and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) [5,6] is well known
The direction of the exchange bias is initialized by field growth (layer deposition in an external magnetic field (Hdep) [1]), by field cooling (FC), by thermally-induced ordering, or by light-ion bombardment-induced EB initialization (bombardment of the AFM/FM layer system by light ions in an external magnetic field (HIB) [9]
The ion bombardment was realized across 50 × 50 μm2 areas using Focused Ion Beam (FIB)
Summary
The Exchange-Bias (EB) effect in antiferromagnet (AFM)/ferromagnet (FM) thin film systems with in-plane [1,2,3,4] and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) [5,6] is well known In such systems, the direction of the exchange bias is initialized by field growth (layer deposition in an external magnetic field (Hdep) [1]), by field cooling (FC) (heating and subsequent cooling of the layer system through the ordering temperature of the AFM layer in the presence of an applied magnetic field [7]), by thermally-induced ordering (annealing of AFM alloys to create the required AFM order [8]), or by light-ion bombardment-induced EB initialization (bombardment of the AFM/FM layer system by light ions in an external magnetic field (HIB) [9]. There is no information on whether it is possible to tailor EB layer systems with perpendicular unidirectional anisotropy by ion bombardment
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