Abstract
Exchange-biasing phenomenon can induce an evident unidirectional hysteresis loop shift by spin coupling effect in the ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AFM) interface which can be applied in magnetoresistance random access memory (MRAM) and recording-head applications. However, magnetic properties are the most important to AFM texturing. In this work, top-configuration exchange-biasing NiFe/IrMn(x Å) systems have been investigated with three different conditions. From the high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (HR X-TEM) and X-ray diffraction results, we conclude that the IrMn (111) texture plays an important role in exchange-biasing field (Hex) and interfacial exchange energy (Jk).HexandJktend to saturate when the IrMn thickness increases. Moreover, the coercivity (Hc) dependence on IrMn thickness is explained based on the coupling or decoupling effect between the spins of the NiFe and IrMn layers near the NiFe/IrMn interface. In this work, the optimal values forHexandJkare 115 Oe and 0.062 erg/cm2, respectively.
Highlights
The exchange-biasing phenomenon using the IrMn basing layer can be applied in magnetoresistance random accessThe top-configuration NiFe/IrMn system was made by DC magnetron sputtering onto a glass substrate
Hc is inversely proportional to x, which is caused by the spin coupling or decoupling effect near the NiFe/IrMn interface
We have applied three different conditions during and/or after deposition: (a) the substrate temperature (Ts) was kept at room temperature (RT) only; (b) Ts was at RT with an in-plane external field (h) = 500 Oe during deposition; and (c) Ts = RT, with h during deposition and post-deposition annealing in the field at TA = 250 °C for 1 h, and field-cooling to RT
Summary
The exchange-biasing phenomenon using the IrMn basing layer can be applied in magnetoresistance random accessThe top-configuration NiFe/IrMn system was made by DC magnetron sputtering onto a glass substrate. We will show how the magnetic properties, such as Hex, Hc, and Jk, of the IrMn/NiFe topconfiguration system may vary as a function of the IrMn layer thickness (x). It is found that these magnetic properties are closely related to the degree of the (111) texture in the IrMn layer [8,9,10].
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